


Prince in Beast's Clothing

by Kukuriko



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death, Demonic Beast Transformation, F/M, Fighting, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Muteness, Mutual Pining, Plot, Possessive Behavior, Post-Time Skip, Romance, Smut, Torture, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2020-10-25 02:48:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 35
Words: 87,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20716832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kukuriko/pseuds/Kukuriko
Summary: Byleth returns after five years only to find a demonic beast in the Goddess Tower instead.





	1. The Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning, this fic includes a much gritter treatment of the three houses world. Expect a bit more violence and dark-ish themes. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy :)

Byleth climbed the steps towards the goddess tower feeling incomplete. The man at that village told her how the battle at the church happened five years ago when she was in the heart of it only moments ago. Things looked familiar but the church grounds Byleth once strolled through every morning had turned into a graveyard. Rubble and ruin brushed across every building, bodies of soldiers across the gardens.

She had to know. Who won the fight? Did Lady Rhea survive? What did Edelgard achieve? And…

Byleth tensed at the thought of the fate of the Blue Lion House. Her non-beating heart felt like it was being squeezed. She pressed on against the strange ache she felt within. She didn’t remember being poisoned yet pain churned in her stomach and tightened her every breath. Her father would’ve been able to explain what was happening to her, but he was gone. Byleth hoped that Edelgard had enough honour to leave her father’s tombstone untouched at least.

Eventually, she found herself at the goddess tower. From the stains left on the ground and the direction of the corpses, the fight had been drawn towards this place.

It where wishes came true, the students would tell her enthusiastically. Byleth was sceptical, but then again she had seen the goddess with her own eyes. As she walked through the aging stone walls, she remembered the night she had spoken with Dimitri here. After a night of exhaustive dances and praises, they had retreated to the same place for peace.

He had told her he wished for a world where no one would be unjustly taken from them. Though, Byleth knew her students well. That would’ve been the noble answer he was trained to say as the heir to the Kingdom, but there was something pained in those eyes before he told her his wish. Dimitri uncovered a bit of his true wish when he said something about not being saved no matter how hard someone begged for it. An offhanded plead. Somedays she wished she could’ve prodded more. Instead of waiting for the goddess or fate or luck, she could’ve helped him as his professor.

As Byleth climbed the stone steps, she noticed that the bodies that were scattered along the path were more… brutally killed. Some bodies were tossed to the walls, leaving splatters of blood across the stone. Armour was scattered everywhere, most of them dented inwards. It was nothing like the bodies you’d see on the battlefield. These injuries weren’t caused by swords or magic. A brawler maybe, but even the strongest soldiers wouldn't have the sheer force to cave in breastplates like that.

She neared the top of the stairs and heard a faint growl. Byleth drew her weapon, the Sword of the Creator flashing red and shifted beneath her grasp. There were always robbers and scavengers, but people didn’t just growl like that. She waited for a moment, then continued climbing. When Byleth made it to the top it was as she expected. A demonic beast, surrounded by rotting dead soldiers and fragments of a one-sided battle, remained huddled against the wall. Its scales were stained in dried blood and littered with healed over scars. The growl seemed to be its breathing. Low, weak- it hitched every few breaths. Sleeping.

The demonic beast was a bit smaller than what Byleth had encountered before. It had arrows that had pierced through its armour and, by the looks of it, was on its last legs. Perhaps it would be a mercy if Byleth ended its life now.

She stepped closer to it and the beast stirred. Its head whipped up from its resting position but winced at the quick movement. It looked surprised, shocked even. But then it grew hostile, trying to look intimidating as it bared its teeth. It didn't last long, suddenly choking as blood poured from its mouth. The beast's gaze didn't waver though, taking in every inch of the professor with intent. It looked as though it had lost an eye, though the other glowed bright blue. Byleth had never seen that colour on a beast before.

She sighed. A leftover from the war, without a purpose now that the battle had ended. She almost felt sorry for it, but then quickly found no reason to feel bad for it. Killing it here meant it had no chance to harm more people.

Byleth took a step closer, ready to strike. It just watched her. It made no move to attack. Instead, it lowered its head and closed its eye. An easy kill. A conscious told her that she shouldn't like that. Demonic monsters such as this wouldn't just give up their lives for-

She spotted it, just poking out beneath the beast. A blood-soaked blue cape. A Blue Lion’s cape.

The initial instinct was that this beast had killed one of her students, and a calm rage began to boil within. But no, something else tugged at her. A thought that Byleth wasn’t sure would be possible. The blue eye? The location? She had seen a man transform into a demonic beast before but…

Byleth lowered her sword and knelt in front of the beast. It made no move to attack her. Rather, it tried to avoid her. She needed to examine the beast, a theory nagging in her mind. She raised a careful hand, ready to pull back if needed, and placed it on the beast.

The beast opened its eye again, surprised. Its blue iris flickered over to meet hers, glowing faintly in the dim tower. It accepted her touch, though with a hint of shame, curling tighter into itself. Byleth recognised those eyes, always greeting her with kindness and enthusiasm during class. The same eyes she saw on the night with him at this very tower.

“Dimitri?”

The beast recoiled at the name, frowning as its body began to shift. It tried to move away from Byleth’s hand but she didn’t let go. She took her other hand and held its bestial head in her grasp. It couldn’t stand to look at her.

“Dimitri,” Byleth said again. The beast continued to resist, trying to push Byleth with its head this time. It was a pitiful attempt, barely having any strength left in its body. She looked up and examined its injured form. Demonic beasts had the ability to regenerate from its wounds though it couldn't heal with those arrows in the way. Blood started to seep through the thick wooden shafts.

Byleth let go of the beast’s face and it let out a huff as it burrowed its face away. She moved towards the first arrow. The smallest of touches made the beast flinch, a yelp that rolled into a low growl. She tried to grasp the arrow but the beast jumped out of her range, knocking Byleth to the ground.

The beast had gotten up on all fours now, blood dripping onto the stone below. It barred its teeth and Byleth raised her hands, then a look of regret struck it like a wave. It stared at Byleth on the ground, and let out a muffled whimper. It couldn’t stay in its threatening pose for long, falling on its legs and stumbling back on the ground.

It was panting now, the pain digging into its form. It shuffled into the shadows again, away from the light pouring through the window of the goddess tower.

Byleth could see clearly what the beast was resting on now. A feeble nest of blue cloth, shards of armour, and broken spears. It looked like the soldiers had cornered Dimitri into the goddess tower and here was where he held his last stand.

And then he...

Byleth didn’t know what to say to it, she had never dealt with something like this before, so she sat up and held out her hand.

_ Come to me. Let me help you. _

She wasn’t a woman of many words, but she didn’t need them to extend her aid. It was something that Seteth said to her once. Or was it Catherine? Byleth remembered being told that students just knew that they could trust her, whatever that meant. Beast or not, she was still a professor, and she was sure that this was her student.

The longer Byleth held her arm out the more the beast unwound. Its glare turned into something akin to longing. It waited, breaths shallow and shaky. Byleth greeted its first move with a smile, which startled it at first but it didn’t stop its advance.

The beast limped towards Byleth, moving slowly as to not trample her with its size. When it got close enough it placed its snout in her palm and exhaled. She trailed her hand down its cheek and rubbed her thumb against the scales. The beast sighed and closed its eye.

“Dimitri… It is you,” Byleth mumbled. This time, the beast nudged its head into her hand.

The confirmation saddened Byleth more than it relieved her. How did this happen? Her hand touched something warm and realised Dimitri was still bleeding. She stood up and tried to reach for the first arrow again.

Of course, he protested against the pain, growling at the slightest touch of the wooden shaft. Though this time, he didn’t move away.

Byleth focused her magic into a heal spell as she pulled the arrow out of his armoured hide. Then another. Each arrow she took out a growl erupted from the beast’s throat but relaxed at the sensation of the wound finally being able to heal properly. Each pained noise made Byleth feel something. It felt like concern, but it was more than just that. Fear? No, she rarely felt that. Was it anger then, but what would she be angry at? It bothered her. If only she knew how to understand emotions better.

The final arrow came out and Dimitri let out a long relieved sigh. With his wounds already healed over, he stood up. His bestial form towered over Byleth’s. He had always been a tall kid, but she probably couldn’t compare that to this. Now that he no longer tried to hide from her, Byleth was able to see Dimitri fully. It was similar to what Miklan had become, with grey-silverish scales with large elongated claws. Though, some of the scales were tinted more in a soft, golden colour.

It was hard to remember that five years had passed so suddenly. Byleth’s expression turned serious as she looked around at the bodies. Where did the church's inhabitants flee to now that this place was abandoned? There were still so many questions she still needed answers too. If anything, Dimitri just raised more questions.

“Let’s go,” she said, firming. The beast huffed in approval, and they descended the goddess tower together.


	2. The Forest

Trying to get Dimitri’s beast form out of the goddess tower was interesting. He was certainly much larger than the stairwell, brushing awkwardly against the stone. There were a few scary moments where he bumped against the wall and a few bits of rubble rained from the ceiling. That didn’t seem to worry Dimitri at all. He just wanted to get out of there.

Once they had finally exited the tower with no issue, Dimitri huffed and started to walk off on his own.

Whatever gentle desperation he was showing Byleth moments ago vanished, replaced with a distance he was enforcing between himself and his professor. He seemed to have his own goals in mind he wanted to achieve and the professor found herself following him around. It didn’t matter if she had vanished for five years, whatever Dimitri needed to do seemed more important to the man...

… beast.

But this wasn’t like Byleth. She was a professor, and she was used to having students follow her commands and instructions. She had always put her foot down when scolding Sylvain's actions, and she wasn’t intimidated by Felix’s brash attitude. Dimitri was one of her best students by comparison, but times had changed.

Byleth asked Dimitri to stop. Then, more strictly, she _ commanded _ him.

He didn’t listen, ignoring the professor as he continued through the church grounds.

It was when Byleth reached out a hand to touch him was when he snarled at her. He brushed her aside and Byleth found herself stunned at the reaction. She frowned, and that pain in her chest appeared again. He didn’t hurt her, of course, though something else was wounding her.

The prince made his way towards the gates and Byleth had to find some way to convince him to stop soon. She couldn’t just let a demonic beast wander out of the church grounds, especially since there were a few small towns nearby. It made the situation much harder that he couldn’t speak to her. If only she knew what was going through his mind-

“What the hell is _ that!” _an unfamiliar voice yelled in the distance. Byleth drew her sword to the sight of some scavengers currently digging through piles of rubble. Some of them were holding pouches of loot they had gathered which they quickly dropped and reached for their weapons.

Byleth’s attention snapped to the beast as he let out a furious howl, claws cracking the stone beneath him before charging towards the robbers. A familiar rage Byleth had seen in the crown prince once before. She hesitated at the sight of Dimitri tearing into the nearest enemy and almost forgot she was a target too.

Byleth sensed an arrow flying towards her and her instincts kicked in. Time shattered around her like the sound of cracking glass and rewound it enough to deflect the arrow mid-air with her heroes’ relic. The scavenger that shot the crossbow bolt stared at her wide-eyed before being knocked across the grounds by Dimitri swinging his tail around.

The professor’s battle instincts were fully settled in now and she joined the beast in the fight, clearing away the thieves who dared to rob such a holy place. They didn’t prove much of a challenge, though the true threat was Dimitri going mad over the enemy. Leather armour did little against his sharpened claws and all the enemy could do was scream as he tore into them. His size overpowered the human thieves easily, crushing their bodies beneath his weight in sprays of gore.

Byleth cut them down quickly as well, whipping the Sword of the Creator and taking out a scavenger in the distance. She pulled the sword back just as she sensed another enemy to her right. Byleth spun, clashing swords with them. She tsked and kicked the man away from her before slashing her sword across their chest, blood splattering across the stone. They had cleared most of the enemy now, the battle was-

She spun just in time to raise her sword just as Dimitri raised a claw towards her. She held her ground as he had tried to crush her, boots slipping from the force of the strike.

“Dimitri!” Byleth shouted, parrying his claw away. The beast was panting heavily, covered in much more blood than the professor. He growled, hungry and out of control, and attacked Byleth again. He took his claw and rolled it slightly into a fist, backhanding Byleth’s entire body across the trampled grass. She gasped, trying to process what happened.

There was no time to think about the pain as she got up, grip still strong on her sword. She expected another blow where there was none, Dimitri staring at her wide-eyed. He looked to be frozen in place, unsure of what he had just done. Byleth’s guard was up, ready to fight a demonic beast solo if needed. The battlegrounds stilled, and the two watched each other’s movements. The professor made the first move to relax.

Byleth took one step and Dimitri took one back, almost looking ready to flee. She cursed under her breath at the pain and sunk her sword into the ground, using it for support as she raised her other hand out to Dimitri.

“I’m not mad, but don't hurt me again,” she said, wincing at the sharp pain in her side.

The words seemed to have struct Dimitri wrong, and whatever guilt he felt disappeared as he started to walk away again. Byleth sighed and lowered her arm. It didn’t matter that Dimitri had slowed his pace down slightly for the professor to catch up, he still acted hell-bent on whatever he wanted to achieve.

\---

They had made it down to the forests as the sunset bathed the world in orange light. Not much has changed in this part of the outskirts and Byleth remembered fondly the first time she had set eyes on Garreg Mach Monastery. The same sight farewelled her as she passed through the wall of trees that shrouded the crumbling ruins out of sight.

Dimitri showed no plans in stopping in his tracks, his bestial vitality already healing over the small scrapes he acquired over the small skirmish. Byleth was still struggling, however. Sweat dripped down her forehead as she limped down the forest path. She had just woken up five years in the future and took a hefty blow from Dimitri. She needed to rest, though she didn’t want to lose her sights on the prince.

Byleth training as a mercenary was kicking in. Travelling while injured wasn’t a foreign experience to her, and it wasn’t like her to complain. It was Jeralt that would point out it was time for her to rest. It was hard for her to tell when pain is becoming too severe to halt travelling for the day.

She didn’t have that luxury, and eventually, she found herself breathing heavily as she leaned against a tree. Byleth struggled to keep moving and crumpled to the ground, hand to her side.

Dimitri stopped in his tracks, taking a moment to look over his shoulder and seeing the professor vulnerable. There was a pause, then his head swivelled back and he continued down the path.

Byleth stared at him as he walked further away from her until he was out of sight. Something was overwhelming her from within, similar to the moment when she saw her father die. She was afraid that she had failed as a professor letting herself get shoved off a cliff during the battle, and now the only student she knew survived so far was leaving her.

Her body finally trumped her willpower and she watched the world go dim.

Darkness was just darkness now. After Sothis had fused with her, Byleth had to wander this void alone. She heard the goddess’ voice before she had woken up from the cliff fall. She wished that it would happen this time too, calling her an idiot and pointing out her mistakes. These things had never bothered her that much before. An error was an error, and Byleth would learn from them and move on.

This was different. It felt like she had no control over her problems. She was alone in the world and she didn’t know how to do things any better.

As she was surrendering to the void, a blue light flickered in the distance. Not green, like Sothis’.

Strange.

Byleth moved towards like like wading through molasses, reaching out to inspect the light. It was something warm and familiar, though her mind wasn’t in the right place to make the connection. She grasped it in her palms and heard her name from someone else’s voice.

Her eyes opened to the sight of shifting trees passing by her. Only the moonlight lit the woods around her as the ground shifted gently beneath her.

No. Not the ground.

Byleth glanced down, still numb from her exhaustion and pain to see her body sprawled on top of Dimitri’s bestial form. If he sensed that Byleth had awakened, he ignored her, still walking towards where he wanted to go.

She ran her fingers against his armoured scales idly and closed her eyes again. She clung onto the small hope that she wasn’t a failure as a professor just yet. Dimitri still had some humanity in him, maybe he could still be saved. Was it her fault that Dimitri became a beast in the first place? She certainly felt that way. The prince was her responsibility, and she would bear this burden as much as he was.

“I’m sorry that I left," Byleth said.

The trip was silent after that, save the sound of tree leaves rustling in the wind and the thuds of the demonic beast walking by them.


	3. The Cave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should really ask a beta reader for help but some days you just keep writing and end up with a handful to chapters to release

Byleth awoke to the feeling of sudden movement. Instinct kicked in as she grasped onto Dimitri’s back as he recoiled in his path. He quickly ducked into the shades of the trees, away from the town just up ahead.

Byleth’s eyes adjusted as she took awareness of her other surroundings. The beast was travelling all night, and with the way the sun lit up the world it appeared to be dawn. She took the position of the sun and recalled the map that marked Garreg Mach and the surrounding locations. She recognised the village up ahead. They were primarily trading vegetable seeds and fresh produce with the church.

Perhaps it would be a good time to buy some supplies. Byleth always carried several pouches of gold on her person no matter where she went. An old habit. Life as a mercenary was full of danger. Somedays you had to drop everything and run.

Now that she was back to her travelling roots, memories of Jeralt felt like a scar tearing open to reveal an old wound. Even if they had travelled together for years and Byleth was just as knowledgeable as Jeralt on the road, she felt like she still relied on him. Because of that, a small part of Byleth felt like an inadequate teacher. All she knew was the art of battle and that was all she taught to her students, but even her experience paled in comparison to her father. At least, she found Dimitri among the depravity of the situation. She could make up for her wrongs.

Byleth slid down Dimitri though her wounds flared, causing her to lose her grip. She may have the power of the goddess thrumming from within her but it didn’t make her invincible. She ended up tumbling off the beast and hit the grass with a small groan.

Surprisingly, she had startled the prince. He looked at her, one arm raised and blue eye glaring. Wincing, she got on her feet and gave a small thumbs up. He relaxed, though giving a small annoyed huff as he looked away.

It was a good sign to know that at least Dimitri hesitated at revealing himself to a bunch of townsfolk, though he was already looking for a way to move around the place. Byleth placed a hand on his body to catch his attention and lifted a pouch of gold to him.

“Wait here. I need supplies,” she said. “I won’t be long, I promise.”

A small huff, like he was saying _they always said that. _

She didn’t blame him for thinking that way. When Annette and Mercedes were responsible for shopping that week everyone knew to expect an extra hour or two before they returned. Ashe took extra time as well, but at least that contributed to bargaining.

Byleth took that as enough of an answer and made her way towards the village. As much as she wanted to do this quickly it was hard to move fast with her wound. She was fortunate that nobody recognised her and slowed her down. No time for talking, though, she was never one for a conversation in the first place.

Water, food, and some other miscellaneous things like bandages were purchased without much of a thought. She had been spoiled with good food while she was teaching but she was just as content eating the same rations every day if it meant her survival. However, she wasn’t just travelling alone. Did demonic beasts need to eat, if so, how much?

She was about to complete the transaction when she spotted that they were selling cheese in the corner. It would be expensive, the merchant said. The war was still raging and the trade routes were hard to traverse through. Amongst the talk of the current state of the war that Byleth was fortunate to acquire surface level knowledge on, another thought was prodding at her.

Byleth wasn’t surprised to hear that Edelgard was now crowned as the Emperor, but what bothered her more was how his town was in the direction of where her throne resided. It would still take some time for the two of them to get the heart of the empire, but Byleth would need to convince Dimitri otherwise before they got too close to danger.

The professor took out more gold from her pouch.

\---

Byleth was pleased to see Dimitri where she had left him, though now that his journey was stalling he decided to take a nap. It was a relief that nobody had discovered him yet. It was good to see him have a moment of peace in such a chaotic time.

Byleth didn’t hide her presence, the sound of her boots crunching against the grass enough to wake him. He stirred from the ground, rising from the shade of the trees with a growl which dampened when he recognised her. She showed him the pack where she had bought her supplies and pointed towards somewhere off the path.

“I scouted out another clearing that should help us avoid the townsfolk,” Byleth said. Dimitri followed her hand and looked past the trees. Without much more instruction, he started to move in that direction. Byleth followed behind him, though her pace was still too slow for the prince’s liking. He often looked over his shoulder, annoyed, as if to tell her to _ hurry up. _ The pain in her side had mostly subsided, but it still hindered at being able to travel at full speed.

Dimitri had stopped entirely, growling before spinning around and approaching Byleth. He lowered himself to the ground, a mixed look of shame and frustration in the way he refused to look at her. Byleth had an understandable amount of caution as she placed her hand on his scales, which drew out another huff to suggest _getting over it. _She smiled at the gesture and climbed onto his back, holding onto his scales as he started on the path again.

There was more silence between the two of them. Nothing out of the ordinary with the professor. Sometimes she and Jeralt would travel across the continent without any need for conversation. Maybe the one or two questions of if they needed to rest or if they had everything. On the other hand, travelling with her students could range from entertaining to downright baby-sitting. Felix and Sylvain sometimes had their squabbles which Ingrid would step in and calm down, which then caused Sylvain and Ingrid to fight. Annette would sometimes and somehow cause a chain reaction of accidents from just tripping on a rock. Byleth at least had Ashe and Mercedes help clean up everyone’s messes.

Dimitri acted as her second in command to some extent as the house leader, stepping in when Byleth couldn’t. As frustrating as it could get keeping a rowdy class together, Dimitri always seemed to enjoy it. They were all friends in the end after all.

She stared down at the unresponsible demonic beast and her emotions dampened. It only felt like yesterday when she lived in those fleeting moments.

As the moon started to take its place in the sky, clouds shrouded the stars and rain had started to pour. It didn’t faze Dimitri, though Byleth wasn’t in her usual travelling cloak. The rain froze her to the core, the water felt like it was digging through her skin. Her fingers went numb, shivering while she rode on the prince’s back, trying not to lose her grip on his scales.

Dimitri stopped again, and Byleth felt a small pang of worry. Perhaps he spotted something in the dark. A threat? The prince looked around, glowing blue eye illuminating the darkness before he stepped off his intended path and approached something he had seen. It was soon revealed to be a cave and Byleth couldn’t suppress a sigh of relief. The chance of being abandoned was still there. She didn’t let her hopes get too high but the idea of a shelter for the night was nice.

The night was ending on a surreal note. Not once in her life did Byleth expect it would be with a demonic beast, who was the crown prince no less. They sat around a small campfire that Byleth started and Dimitri huddled against the cave’s wall, away from her.

The distance didn’t change how Byleth was concerned for his wellbeing. She pulled out the food from the pack and she suppressed a reaction when Dimitri perked up at the sight of the bread and cheese. It was certainly a lot more luxurious and expensive than what Byleth would consider as rations for travelling, but she hoped the price would be worth it.

She took the time to toast the bread, the edges crisping up and adopting a darker colour before melting the cheese on top. Once it was ready to eat, Byleth raised it towards Dimitri.

“You need to eat,” Byleth said to him. He snorted in denial, curling back into himself. The prince acted stubbornly but it didn’t discourage the professor, and she continued to wave the food towards him. “If we’re going to be travelling all day for the next few days, you need energy.”

Dimitri’s tail flicked in the air as his response and Byleth shrugged. It was worth a try. She took the first bite into the warm cheesy bread and looked out towards the rain.

What could she do? This war obviously meant a lot to Dimitri, but Jeralt had raised her in a way that made her nearly clueless to this political game of crests and wars. Maybe if she found a way to contact some surviving members of the church she would be able to get in touch with one of the other professors. That would be difficult since they were traversing to empire territory focused on wiping out the church of Seiros.

Byleth’s attention shifted from the rain to the shuffling of claws. Dimitri had pried himself away from his spot and moved towards her. His mouth was slightly watering, eyes fixated on some nice food after a long couple of days. She smiled, before raising the toast towards the demonic beast. For a second she had forgotten that his mouth was lined rows of fangs that she flinched at the sight of Dimitri opening his mouth.

Dimitri stalled awkwardly, neither of them sure of what to do. Byleth assumed that Dimitri was half-expecting her to just throw food in his mouth like a wild animal. That didn’t seem right to her. There was a man beneath that form. A prince.

Byleth held out the toast again, her fingers grasping the very end of the bread. Dimitri stared at her with his one good eye and exhaled. A small worried look appeared on Byleth’s face.

_ Gently, please. _

Dimitri blinked, examing the professor's expression, and edged closer to try again.

It was like he was trying to maneuver a trebuchet to target an egg. He opened his mouth slowly, fangs exposed to the light of the fire as he got closer to Byleth’s fingers. If she was going to lose some fingers tonight, at least it would be on her non-dominant hand. His mouth was over the toast now and Byleth found herself growing a bit nervous, the warmth of his breath on her fingertips making her shudder. She tried to remember that beneath that beast used to be a man. If Dimitri was a human as she so believed, what would this have looked like instead? Byleth suppressed a blush, averting her eyes towards the fire beside her. Just as gently as he was from the start, he took a bite of the bread and Byleth let go.

She let out a sigh of relief, and she suspected Dimitri let one out as well after he swallowed the food.

As expected, the prince was hungry. He waited patiently as Byleth toasted another one for him and they went through the same process. The thought of Dimitri’s human form eating from her hands were distracting her, however. Five years had passed and she wondered how Dimitri would look like now.

She tried to think of something else and she reminded herself of the times she would share a meal with him at the dining hall. She missed the days of laughing over delicious food and talk about meaningless things for fun. There was that one time she had Felix and Dimitri eat together, that was an awkward time but at least the two students could ignore each other enough to still make conversations with the professor. This current situation was far from what she missed fondly, but it was a start.

Byleth stared blankly at the food. She was the spoon in this situation. Nothing embarrassing about that. A spoon didn’t have feelings, just a tool.

Dimitri took the food from her fingers again. That line of thinking somewhat helped, she thought. She noticed that Dimitri’s eyes would be intently fixated on the food, but then looked away the moment he knew he had it. Byleth hoped that he didn’t find the experience too humiliating.


	4. The River

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for the record I 100% agree with you guys with Maurice needing to be explored more in the game so here's that but Dimitri haha

Byleth was a light sleeper. Understandably, she grew up to become one. Life as a professor didn’t change that either, whether it was Annette studying late or Felix practising his technique in solitude. She was always ready to help herself or her students.

In this case, she woke up to the sound of a body shuffling. Her realisation lagged more than she liked though. Exhaustion had drilled into Byleth that it wasn't until she rubbed her eyes and stared into the shadows that she noticed Dimitri wasn’t in the cave with her anymore. She gave herself a moment to adjust to the light of the campfire, which had dimmed to low crackling embers. If she ran for it now maybe she could catch up with the prince. It would be difficult to track him in these conditions, but the risk of losing Dimitri was too great.

Panicked, she grabbed her things and made her way to the entrance of the cave only to stop at the mouth. Rain still hammered down from the heavens and spread into the darkness of the night. A figure stood in the shadows, head lifted towards the rain and Byleth felt her breath hitch.

It was Dimitri, and for a moment she thought he was human again.

He was still a beast upon second glance, his silhouette still carried sharpened claws and scales glinting faintly in the water. But the way he stood on his hind legs, arms draped to his side and feeling the rain on his face- it was a side of Dimitri she always knew existed from within him.

The crown prince always looked exhausted, hiding the weight of his responsibilities with a charming smile. Now, alone and with the time to spare, he let himself breathe and cleaned the blood off his hands. _Stop taking things at such face value. _That was what Jeralt had told her on her first week at Garreg Mach. _These kids are well... complicated. They're not like you. Sometimes they say one thing but mean another... I know, it can get annoying sometimes but that's now a part of your job as a professor here. Stop relying all on words and start looking at the way they talked too. _Byleth had understood, but that was different than being good knowing what to do about it.

The rain was the best time to shower but she put her utilitarian thinking aside. She knew better than to interrupt Dimitri’s moment of peace. That reminded her to check on the bruise Dimitri caused on her side, and she returned to the cave to lift up her armour.

As she peeled away the dirt and sweat covered shirt, she saw the bruise in all its purple blooming glory. Not the worst injury she’s ever gotten, but still notable. Byleth prodded around her ribs, wincing at the pain but fortunate she felt none had been broken.

While she had the moment of privacy, she unlatched her bra and placed her hand on top of the bruise. The night air nipped at her skin, but not as badly while she stood in the rain. Byleth wished she could gather more firewood though. Regardless, she focused on a heal spell, green light emitting from her fingertips as she felt the pain unwind in her skin. Byleth never thought she would learn magic, but with Mercedes and Annette in her class she picked it up for their sake. Even Felix had a small interest in black magic surprisingly. The professor watched the edges of the bruise had started to withdraw, the purple colour turning green, then back into normal skin. It was a slow process, and it was slower when you did it on yourself.

A noise from behind Byleth startled her and she spun around to confront it, sword nearby. An ambush? An animal? Though, she didn’t see anything. The professor lowered the sword and put her clothes back on cautiously. She would need to find another time to heal her wound. Armoured and ready, she stepped back out to the mouth of the cave. She peered around the surrounding woods. Nothing in sight, even Dimitri wasn’t in his spot anymore.

“Dimitri?” Byleth called out into the darkness. She stepped out into the rain, familiar worry settling into her stomach. Not far from the mouth of the cave, a blue eye opens in the darkness and the professor jumps. Byleth placed a hand on her chest and let out a sigh of relief. “I thought you left.”

Dimitri didn’t respond, moving through the trees and approaching her. He was still standing upright instead of all fours and he carried firewood in his arms. The professor smiled at the unexpected gesture as the prince passed her to enter the cave, dumping the damp wood quite harshly near the dying campfire, and turned around to return to the rain.

_ What was that about? _

Byleth took the damp wood and focused a fire spell in her hands. Once she dried the log enough she added it to the campfire and rekindled it. Satisfied, she curled back onto the ground near the fire, pack of supplies as a pillow, and returned to sleep.

\---

Byleth woke up again, this time to the sound of Dimitri returning. She was facing away from his entrance though the shadows he cast danced on the wall. At first, he settled in his spot far away from her, but a few minutes later shifted to a position closer to the fire.

Oddly, he didn’t cast as big of a shadow as Byleth expected.

\---

They continued their journey through the rain. At least it wasn’t as strong as it started and Byleth had the energy to focus on a simple spell to keep the rain off of her. With the help of Dimitri’s firewood gathering last night, she was able to get her clothes dry. Byleth wanted it to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Dimitri was still intent on his path, back on all fours and less annoyed now that Byleth could follow him on her own Once he was on the move, there was no chance for the professor to stop him for a discussion. She didn’t know what she could say to convince him to stop his march to the empire. Frankly, Byleth was marching to her death just as much as Dimitri was if she didn’t do anything about this.

The professor needed to say something. Guide her student out of this dark path he was obsessing over. But how could she guide someone on a subject she didn’t know anything about?

Something caught Byleth’s eye. Something she was trained to spot ever since she was a child. She knelt down and, despite the rain, identified marks of a wagon being pulled through here not long ago. A merchant, perhaps, but bandits were more likely. Now that she was looking out for them she tried to pick out any details on the footprints she had spotted. She frowned, failing to determine the type of shoe and the amount of wear on it. The depth of the print at least suggested they were light with their personal load. Potentially a base of operations for them to return to nearby?

“Dimitri, wait,” Byleth said quietly, but her voice was muffled by the rain. She moved closer to Dimitri and spoke again, this time he actively ignored her. “There might be bandits nearby.”

The beast let out a noise of indifference and continued on his path. He wasn’t serious about facing a group of bandits on his own, was he?

Then again, Byleth was there to keep him safe. She sighed as she moved off the path and into the forest. Dimitri was easy enough to spot through the trees. If there was a chance of an encounter at least she would be in more of a position to ambush. Protecting payloads had the same sort of principle. It was important to have a scout to look out people waiting to jump on the cart, or in this case the beast. In this scenario, she only had a chance to ambush after the potential enemy revealed themselves. They obviously had an upper hand at the setup, there was no way trying to scout them now would end with a good outcome.

Dimitri and Byleth, who was shadowing him from the trees, approached a river. The water violently ripped through the two banks. With the rain still going it wouldn’t be possible to cross it. Dimitri looked around for an alternate path, then his movements changed when he noticed Byleth was missing. She watched from a distance as the prince looked behind him, unsure of what to do. He genuinely looked torn between finding a route and trying to find his professor.

Byleth almost stepped out of the forest when a blast of fire struck into Dimitri’s side.

_ “We found it! The One-Eyed Demon!” _

Dimitri howled bandits started to swarm the prince. About twenty men gathering around the demonic beast, hopping out of their hiding spots. It was a lot more people than just a simple bandit party. They were obviously hunting specifically for Dimitri by the way they called him that. She remembered that was a thing she used to send her students to deal with, fighting bandits while a demonic beast stormed nearby. Though, it wasn't just another beast hunting interruption. Byleth cursed and quickly circled around the fighting, looking for who she could engage safely.

Another blast of fire struct at Dimitri from the other side and he let out a pained howl, voice shaking the sky itself.

_ “Quick! Blast off the scales! We’re going to make a fortune out of this one!” _

The men knew what they were doing, one distracting Dimitri while another damaged another part of his body. Grey-silver scales cracked and fell from his body, blood beginning to seep from the wounds. Meanwhile, the professor was in position and ready to strike.

Byleth tsked as she whipped out the Sword of the Creator, leaping out of the woods and wrapping the segmented blades around the nearest enemy. They cried out in surprise as the extended blade glided cleanly across their torso with a spray of blood. In a fluid motion, Byleth redirected the blade to the next man, impaling them before the sword retracted back to its normal form. Their body fell to the ground, blood mixing with rain and mud. She lost concentration on her spell, raining now getting into her eyes and mud kicking up onto her legs. Despite her clothes becoming wet again, she didn't feel the cold.

Byleth’s ears cringed at another howl as Dimitri was struck again. She saw the attacker and shattered time, rewinding to before she attacked the second bandit and changing her quarry with the mage. They were a bit further away than she’d like but fighting was never fair. With a flourish of the blade, she sliced into the arm of the bandit just as they were about to cast the spell. Byleth recalled the blade quickly to parry the man she didn’t kill this time and dealt with him with a quick slice across the neck.

Dimitri now had the opportunity to lash out. He whipped his tail towards one of the nearby axe-wielding bandits and flung them into the river. The man was swept away by the fast-running waters without a second chance as he dug his claws into the chest of another fighter, blood and mud splashing up from the weight of the prince’s body. A man cried out just as Dimitri ran up to them, biting down with his jaws and tearing the man apart. The prince roared and wounds started to close on him. Byleth swore she could've seen him grow larger as well.

Byleth scanned the fight, watching for the next person that would target Dimitri. Some of the bandits grew unsure of what to do. She took that confusion as an advantage and whipped her sword forward to-

White-hot pain pierced through Byleth’s body as she was blinded by a blast of light. Thunder coursed through her veins and seized her form as it tore her apart from the inside. She called upon a divine pulse despite the excruciating pain and raised her sword to deflect the thunder spell before it connected. Only for another thunder spell strike her from a different mage. Byleth used another divine pulse to deflect the other magic user but that’s when a brawler charged her and tackled her to the ground. Attention was being pulled away from Dimitri, the professor struggling against the attention.

Byleth was running out of divine power, overwhelmed and unable to do much with her position on the battlefield. Dimitri tried to come to her aid but his attention kept getting pulled away by his uncontrollable rage. The professor held onto her final divine pulse longer than usual, accessing the fight one last time. Rain hung in the air, men were mid shout, attacks were stalled. If she were to get captured by these thugs, then she should at least put herself in a position of the least amount of injury.

_ Make the most of every scenario. True defeat is your death. _

She rewound time to play out the scenario where she was tackled, face shoved into the cold mud as her arms were forced behind her back. Byleth watched Dimitri struggle to reach her as her limbs were being restrained. She’s dragged away from the fight, kicking and struggling until the end. Powerless and unable to fix her fate, a blindfold was forcefully tugged over her eyes as Dimitri’s howls are consumed by the rain.


	5. The Prison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that’s enough from me for one day haha time to catch some sleep

Being a hostage and saving one were situations that Byleth was familiar with. Life as a mercenary was one challenge, being recognised as Jeralt’s child was another one too. As a child of a legendary mercenary, she had met some people who thought they could use her to get to him. She remembered possibly twice in her life where she was taken in her sleep, other times while she was in battle. It didn’t happen beyond when she grew to be a teenager. The best way to deal with a hostage situation is to never get taken in the first place.

But she failed that part, so here was Byleth, back to square one.

The ideal time to take back a captive was to attack as they were being transported. That was also another opportunity out the window as she was currently being bound to a chair, limbs wrapped tightly with rope. She was gagged as well, preventing her from being able to cast any spells. Her prison was nice but temporary. Signs of reinforcement along the make of the metal but thin enough to be relocatable.

The bottom line was hostage situations couldn’t be dealt with by just one person. Byleth might have a small chance if she was given a moment to rest and recover a bit of power to use divine pulse, but that didn’t guarantee anything either.

There was also _who_ she was that she needed to factor in, and how much they cared enough about her reputation to increase security. A professor of the church of Seiros, allied with the Kingdom to some extent and wandering into Empire territory. It was hard to believe there was an Empire bounty on her head despite disappearing for five years, but it was a possibility with how quickly those bandit changed targets.

Byleth just hoped Dimitri got out of there alive at least.

The doors to the professor’s cell open and a familiar face greets her. The uniform and the hair were slightly different, but she could recognise that venomous glare that hadn’t changed after five years. Byleth didn't frown, but on the inside, she felt mildly annoyed. Being interrogated by someone who knew her made the situation _much_ more difficult.

“Well, it was certainly a surprise to hear that you’re still alive, professor,” Hubert said, waving the guards to leave them alone. Byleth didn’t react or respond to the comment. Their past didn’t matter anymore, and as much as it pained her to see him as a student once, he graduated as her enemy. Hubert circled her, a vulture ready to pick apart a woman who was already dead. Byleth knew she couldn’t escape now she knew who she was dealing with. “I’ll get to the point. What were you doing in Empire territory?”

The man pulled her gag away before he continued to move around her. She was smart enough not to try anything. Out of anyone, Hubert was near impossible to hide any secrets from, no matter how subtle the attempt. Byleth stared at him, emotionless.

It frustrated Hubert, his eyes narrowing further as he stopped his circling. She had heard enough about the mage and his… questionable methods. Given the interrogator, keeping quiet about what she knew was would give her the best chance of survival, no matter how insignificant. She was sure he’d kill her if she told him what he wanted.

“You were spotted with the One-Eyed Demon. What was your plan?”

Nothing.

“Who are you allied with?”

Byleth didn’t speak.

Hubert… chuckled. His raised his gloved hands and pulled the cloth away one finger at a time.

“Now that you know what I want from you, how about I apply a bit of persuasion?” he said, tucking his gloves in his pocket and raising his pale hands towards her. He smirked, fingers twisting in the air as he began to mutter under his breath.

Byleth winced, then started to groan at the feeling of her skin beginning to crack. It was like the moisture was being pulled from her arms as she felt her body grow weak and numb. The pain spread to her chest and she began to suffocate, unable to gasp for air in with her cracking body.

“Edelgard might’ve been fond of you in the past, professor. But I’m not Edelgard,” Hubert hissed as he suddenly yanked the spell away from Byleth. She gasped for air, feeling her skin return to normal though not fully. She tasted blood on her lips and at the back of her throat as she embraced a small moment of peace. “Well? Do you have answers for me?”

All she had for him was silence, and Hubert sighed.

“Such a shame. If only things were different we could’ve used your talents to win this war and achieve Emperor Edelgard’s vision. But no, you’re too much of a threat to leave alive.”

The dark mage raised his hand again, magic seeping the life forcefully through the husk of her skin. She could no longer hold in cries of pain as crimson began to seep from where her body began to split and tear. She watched the way her blood evaporated into mist before her vision started to grow blurred and foggy.

Now.

“-The beast…!” Byleth gasped. Hubert suddenly stopped his magic, pulling his hand away as the professor's chest heaved painfully. Her wounds now seeped blood, rolling off her arm and dripping onto the floor below. The dark mage knelt in front of her, watching her intently. “It’s trying to reach Edelgard.”

"_'It's trying to reach Edelgard'_?" Hubert chuckled, his eyes rolling, “Oh I know this game, but I don’t have the patience to have my information drip-fed to me. If this is something about the One-Eyed Demon I’m sure it’d be faster to just hired people to capture the thing.” Byleth could tell he was trying to maintain the tides of the conversation in his favour. 

Something rumbled outside of the prison and Hubert raised an eyebrow. Magic swirled in his hands, shadows twisting between his fingers as he focused his attention on the disruption. The rumble subsided, and so did his magic.

“You can try…” Byleth said, her words coarse as running fingernails against sandstone. “To capture it… but it’s stronger than anything you’ve ever faced.”

“And say it is ‘stronger than anything I’ve ever faced’,” he said, words dripping with cynicism. “How would you know this information, and how are you able to travel beside it?”

Byleth grew silent. It was hard to think of what to say next in her state. The trick was to always tell half-truths, but she was running out of them. The professor took in a breath, before looking Hubert in the eyes.

“Because… I made them who they are…”

The man laughed, shaking his head as he paced around the room in amusement.

“Oh, that’s rich. A professor from the church of Seiros creating demonic beasts. If that’s true then I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint the Emperor. She thought you were different, you know.”

Byleth sensed her death was imminent by the shift of his tone. Her breathing grew rapid, hands instinctively resisting against her binds.

“You can’t stop it without me. Without me, Edelgard won’t survive.”

He knelt in front of her, eyes darting to each part of Byleth’s face. He was reading her, looking for whatever signs he wanted to see.

“Well. I’ll be the judge of that.”

Hubert reached out, wrapping his hands around Byleth’s throat and casting the spell. A sputter of blood spewed out of her mouth and evaporated into the air. It was like he was shoving a ghost of a knife past her throat, ripping through skin and muscle and bone. She started to kick and struggle to no success. Byleth closed her eyes. It couldn’t end here.

She called for Sothis. Nothing. Time couldn’t rewind for this. It was like what had happened to Jeralt. This was Byleth’s fate. Hubert’s mouth was moving though she couldn’t hear what he was saying. He looked bothered, glancing over his shoulder a few times as he drained the life from the professor.

“...Honestly, what is-“

Light blinded Byleth as the prison door is ripped from its hinges. Hubert gasped as he reached out to cast a spell, dark magic coalescing in the palm of his hand. Before he had a chance to release the spell, a demonic beast dashed to him with inhuman speed. Bloodied fangs wrapped around Hubert's arms, and they clamp down before he could move away in time.

Byleth was numb to the chaos of the room. Hubert was curled over somewhere on the ground, grasping his forearm with a missing hand in pain and the demonic beast raising on its hind legs. It wraps its arms around Byleth and rips the chair away from her body. Tucked securely against its chest, it races out of the prison cell and dashes out of the camp.

Byleth couldn’t move and she could barely breathe. Her vision alternated between the blurring forest and moving scenery to the dark void deep in her soul. There was a sense of urgency in the way the beast would jostle her now and again, but that didn’t help the pain from her wounds or the hollowness of her throat. Byleth dipped further into the void, slipping away until a blue light started to flicker.

_ “....No! Please! Don’t leave me again!” _

A voice pierced through the rushing wind that was deafening the professor.

_ “...I’m sorry…! Forgive me, I…!” _

Dimitri’s voice spoke to Byleth in the warmth of the blue light. She couldn’t help but smile against all she was currently enduring. Byleth wanted to say something, react to the humanity that she could see within Dimitri after feeling hopeless for so long.

Byleth’s words came out shapeless, a trail of air with no sound. Her throat burned at the attempt, the taste of blood on the fringes of her tongue. She reached up to touch where Hubert at choked her and the skin stung sharply to the touch. Byleth felt stunned at the reality of her state, unsure of how to recover from something like that. She pulled her hand away and held onto Dimitri instead, a wave of dread looming over as the two of them escaped.


	6. The Camp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Takes a sip of coffee* and we're back  
Not sure about this chapter, but I promise there will be more fluff moments soon

Torches in the night. Byleth had never been hunted before, in fact, she was sometimes the one that held the torch. Now, she huddled in the darkness of the forest with Dimitri, his scaled body pressing against her. She watched firelight duck in and out between the rows of trees, silhouetting soldiers that were ready to kill. The two of them had abandoned their hiding spots a few times already, the chase extending into midnight.

Dimitri wasn’t used to being hunted, and Byleth couldn’t instruct him what to look out for in her state. It wasn’t about finding the most secluded, darkest spot. It was about hiding in a place nobody would look. A beginner’s mistake, not thinking like the enemy.

Byleth’s life was still being threatened. Her wounds risked infection and she needed a safe place to treat them. With the majority of her clothes stripped, she could just as easily die from exposure too. Byleth’s mind wandered to her throat and she winced. If she got her voice back she could heal herself. Her crest could regenerate her wounds too but the professor believed it was currently acting as the last bastion in holding her battered form together. There was nothing much Byleth could do at this stage. The Sword of the Creator was taken from her, along with any supplies she was carrying beforehand. They even took her boots, a small thing that meant a lot in compromising a prisoner’s ability to run. All she could do was rely on Dimitri’s judgement to get them to safety. A breeze swept by and the professor curled in tighter against the warmth of the demonic beast’s body. He held her tighter in response.

Once the torches were starting to dim and the soldiers started to report back to their camp, Byleth signalled for Dimitri to move. She couldn’t ask where he planned to take her though. The best scenario she could hope for if he was backtracking out of Empire territory. Byleth worried, but then again his attitude had changed significantly in the past few hours. Whatever decisions Dimitri was making in this scenario, the professor was hoping it wasn’t clouded by his blind desire for revenge anymore.

It was when they approached a familiar-looking river Byleth knew Dimitri was on the right track. Her instinct as a professor kicked in and she tapped his chest to know he doing great. He didn’t respond, as usual, but praise should be given when it was deserved.

Though in this time of night, it was easy to spot the light of a campfire up ahead and Dimitri ducked behind the trees. That light meant a few things. It was either a well-armed military group, a band of inexperienced merchants, or over-confident bandits. Neither of those scenarios changed the plan Byleth began to form in her head. They were small enough to ambush and that was what mattered.

Byleth tapped Dimitri’s arm to let her down which he ignored. She tried again, this time trying to wriggle out. The prince only held on tighter, securing the professor against his chest. She may be injured, but she wasn’t entirely helpless. She looked up at Dimitri for him to give her a huff of disapproval. Yes, they could avoid this group easily but they needed the supplies. She motioned the action of needing to eat and drink with her hands, and when Dimitri nodded and started walking towards the group was when she frantically waved her hands to stop.

Dimitri wasn’t in the most subtle state at the moment and Byleth wanted clean clothes.

She sighed, then after a few more attempts at prying out Dimitri finally let her go. She stumbled to the ground but pushed herself back up with shaky legs, toes curling in the cold dirt. Byleth frowned. How could she get across the message to trust her?

Byleth placed a hand on Dimitri’s chest, which was possible now that he spent more time on his hind legs, and then gestured to her non-beating heart. His head cocked to the side curiously as she did the motions back and forth. The professor clenched her fist as she grew frustrated and stared intently at Dimitri’s glowing blue eye.

_ I’ll be fine. I know what I’m doing. _

She shouted those words in her mind and let her body project her thoughts. A beat of hesitation came from the way the prince shifted on the spot. She gestured him to stay put, much firmer this time and didn’t give Dimitri another chance to respond. Byleth wasn’t good with words, she was excellent with actions. Even with her frail and weak form, she honed into her training and fox-walked through the trees. Her muscles burned at the way she was controlling each step but she ignored the pain. Byleth spared one second to look behind her to see Dimitri didn’t move from his spot. She smiled, before returning to her assault on the camp, her mind pulling into a state of pure focus.

She approached the camp and ducked behind a tree once she was within earshot of the group. It was a band of five, six or seven if there were men in the tents potentially. In fact, she recognised this group. One of the men laughed as he slapped another on the back. They looked to be celebrating and Byleth knew why.

She ducked out of the tree and crossed the grassy field to reach their camp. Byleth crouched behind a tent and observed from where the firelight didn’t touch her.

“Who knew,” one of the men said, “We’d hunt the One-Eyed Demon only to find the Ashen Demon instead?”

Two others laughed with him, clinking bottles against each other and shaking their heads. Byleth recognised some of the supplies around their legs as hers.

The professor gave herself some time to rub her shaking and cold fingers in her hands. She was glad she didn’t have to do this to a group of innocent merchants with Dimitri watching nearby. Byleth recalled the times when students would praise her for her mercenary life. How ‘cool’ and ‘awesome’ it was to live life on the road like that. Byleth didn’t have the heart to tell them the truth, not to those bright-eyed students full of honour and principle. 

Some days you had to find some way to survive with just your bare hands.

Byleth stalked one of the men who wandered away from the group. He pulled down his trousers to piss on the grass and just as he was finished Byleth lept towards him. She grabbed him from behind and shoved her forearm into his mouth to prevent his cries. With a swift movement, she cracked his neck and lowered his descent into the grass slowly. She dug through the man’s belt and recovered a dagger just as the faintest sound caught the attention of the others around the campfire. Figures went to investigate, Byleth hearing the sound of glass being put down and footsteps crunching against the ground. She pulled away from the dead man and circled the camp, her muscles screaming in pain from the control she forced on her body. Before the men discovered what happened, she picked out another bandit around the outer circle of the camp and salvaged another dagger.

“We’re being attacked!” a man exclaimed as he stared at the first victim dead on the ground.

Everyone was on high alert now, one man even leaping out of one of their tents with a blade in hand. That left four to take out. She smiled. It was a manageable amount.

The bandits searched in the wrong direction as she went for the man coming out of the tent. Byleth didn’t have time to make it a silent kill and didn’t hold back as she plunged the dagger into the man’s back. An underhanded strike to pierce under the ribs and straight into their insides. He fell to the ground with a loud, muffled thud, gurgling his last words.

Three men spun and Byleth dashed towards them. She threw a dagger towards the next closest bandit and he deflected it with their forearm. A mistake on her part, so she rewound time. Instead, she swept their leg first, hands bracing against the dirt floor for support as she tripped them. Byleth took one of the daggers and felt a power kindle within her form. Her eyes flashed as her crest guided her next strike, burying the weapon into their eye, a splatter of warm blood hitting the side of her hand.

Byleth looked up, cold and emotionless as she yanked the dagger out of her latest victim’s skull. She felt the magic of the crest subside as parts of her skin tightened from the regenerative power. The remaining two men panicked. All it took was two steps towards them that caused them to flee. They made it towards the now calmer river, wading through the water and disappearing into the darkness with sounds of terror echoing into the sky.

Byleth sighed. She would’ve preferred to kill them to tie up loose ends, but this will do. She stood at the edge of the camp and waved towards the forest where she hoped Dimitri was still waiting.

With the rush beginning to fade, Byleth stumbled towards the man she stabbed in the back. Byleth noticed their shoes before she struck him. Looked to be her size from where she first saw them. She pulled off his boots and slipped them on. A bit big, but not enough to be hindering. At least her toes were warm. Next, she approached her second victim and stripped off their clothes, ignoring the dead man's lifeless stare. She pulled the clothes over her body and relaxed at the feeling of being more appropriately dressed. Finally, she made it over to the campfire and reached for one of the bottles. With the warmth of the fire, she took a swig of whatever they were having. The alcohol burned her insides and stung her injured throat. The sensation was still worth it. The burn of a terrible drink helped with the chills she felt after a kill.

Wiping her mouth on her new coat, she lifted one of her sleeves and poured the drink over her injured arm, wincing as the liquid touched her cracked skin. She then dug through one of the packs she recognised and pulled out a salve. It was opened and used recently, but there was still plenty in the jar. Right before she closed it, something glinted inside the pack. A thin chain with the ring her father gave her greeted her like an old friend, metal catching in the faintest of light. She didn't let herself become sentimental over these sorts of things, but a worry that subconsciously weighed her down vanished. Among many things, this memento of her father and a mother she never met was a triumph in a time of unrelenting battles. Byleth took it out and idly kissed the ring out of relief, wearing the trinket around her neck. Then she applied the healing salve all over her injuries before wrapping them with the roll of bandages she bought. Byleth’s entire body had begun to shake and she could barely move her fingers. The rush had completely worn off, leaving behind a cloud of exhaustion.

The sound of Dimitri approaching the camp somewhat startled Byleth. She was so caught up in her old actions as a mercenary she forgot she was ever a professor for a second. The demonic beast stepped into the light and threw something onto the grass where she could see. Two dead men. She smiled, then threw a reorganised pack of supplies over her shoulders and tied a sheathed shortsword around her belt. _See? Nothing to worry about._

Dimitri looked around the camp, staring at the dead bodies around the place. He didn’t look surprised, rather, he looked relieved that whatever the professor did had succeeded. Without much thought, Byleth stumbled towards the prince and leaned into his chest, feeling the warmth of his body against her skin. It wasn't like her to rely on others, but she hoped Dimitri would carry her tired body again. Byleth would walk if she could. That was not the case.

Dimitri huffed as he scooped her up in his claws and continued their escape out of Empire territory. Not long after, torches started to burn in the distance behind them.


	7. The House

Drifting was the best way to describe what Byleth and Dimitri were doing. At least while she was a mercenary, they were travellers with a purpose. If purpose paid, that was. In this case, neither of them were sure what the next best action would be. Ideally, they’d find someone from the church of Seiros. Manuela came to mind while Byleth’s throat still grated painfully every time she tried to speak. She hoped she could get that fixed soon. The Alliance was also an option though it was hard to guarantee if they would accept them with open arms in their current state.

Over half a day's worth of more travelling, Byleth felt considerably better when she didn't have to worry about walking. She gestured to the prince she didn't need help and found that, like the last time, he was reluctant to let go of her. Byleth appreciated the thought but insisted she didn't need the help anymore.

Dimitri found an abandoned village with collapsed buildings. Evidence of a skirmish long ended. The two of them approached the location and Byleth looked forward to a night's rest. The professor was worried that Dimitri wouldn’t be able to fit in one of the small, still somewhat standing houses, but he wasn’t as big as she remembered him to be and he successfully crawled inside.

Byleth noted the prince shadowing her every step even now and accidentally brushing against her once in a while. It wasn’t gentle either. Dimitri gave the impression that he wasn’t used to moving around in his size. Most of her injuries had healed, especially after her crest activated during the ambush on those bandits. Apart from her throat which still stung when she touched it, she was fine. That didn’t stop Dimitri from coddling her, continuing to carry her when she found the energy to walk again. Frankly, it got on Byleth’s nerves. Even Jeralt, her father, didn’t do this to her when he was halfway through death’s door. A part of becoming a stronger mercenary was to overcome hardships on your own. At least the attachment was better than being treated like she was disposable.

It got to the point where Byleth felt the need to place a hand on the prince’s chest to stop him. She sighed, then mouthed some words to him.

_ I’m fine. Don’t worry. _

Dimitri shook his head, then Byleth frowned.

_ What do you mean no? _

The beast breathed in, then out, chest heaving as he tried to explain something. It was harder for him to communicate compared to the professor and his frustration showed. Dimitri’s tail whipped, knocking things off a nearby shelf and startled himself, crashing into a wooden table into the room. The prince began to panic in this small room and Byleth heard the creaking of the support beams the more he thrashed.

The professor tried to calm him down but Dimitri continued to spiral himself out control. The house gave way and Byleth called on her divine pulse. She returned to the moment right after he bumped into the table and tried again. Forcing herself to speak was a bad idea and the pain distracted her more than it did Dimitri. Byleth rewound time, this time she quickly stepped up to him. 

Byleth held the beast’s head in her hands, grabbing his full attention straight away. She had to raise onto her toes to reach and it seemed to be working. Dimitri looked at her with his one glowing blue eye and his movements slowed.

_ It’s okay, _she mouthed. It was like feeling him melt to her touch, Dimitri’s whole body sagging as he relaxed. Byleth kept up the effort, rubbing her thumbs gently against his scales and smiling.

Something in Byleth’s mind resurfaced and her smile turned into something bittersweet. Ever since she found Dimitri she didn’t have a moment to ask about where his mind was. Byleth wasn't adept with dealing with emotions because, well, she didn’t feel much of that. When she became a professor that needed to be fixed. Each of her students carried different hardships like Ingrid worrying about her father arranging marriages for her, or Ashe with his situation with Lord Lonato. Byleth remembered how much she visited Hanneman and Seteth for advice. Sometimes Lady Rhea, if she had time.

What was the thing Seteth said? Try to imagine yourself in your student’s position?

Byleth closed her eyes, still holding onto Dimitri. If she was in his position then she would’ve needed to endure five years of the war with no guidance, cornered into a tower only to transform into a demonic beast. It was hard to tell how long Dimitri had been in there when she found him, all backed into a corner with arrows through his skin.

A huff from Dimitri made Byleth open her eyes and the prince was staring at her, head slightly cocked to the side. She blinked, trying to find the words to mutter to him. She opened her mouth and tested her voice, only to find she still could only manage painful whines of hollow air. An annoyance she had to come to terms with for now. Byleth swallowed, then took in a long deep breath. Still, no words came to her.

Byleth felt how Dimitri didn’t move away from her hands, rather, he was somewhat nudging against them. A thought surfaced in her mind. If she still couldn’t find the words to say then maybe words weren’t right this situation.

The professor stepped forward and placed her forehead against Dimitri’s bestial skull. Physical signs of affection were foreign to Byleth, but it felt right for this situation. She was here now, and things were going to be okay. Dimitri wasn’t alone in his ordeal anymore.

The prince responded to her touch, relaxing against her even more and letting out a long exhale. His breath warmed Byleth’s skin as the two of them stayed like this longer than she was expecting. Dimitri struggled to remain still however, his body constantly shifting and trying to get into a more comfortable position. Oversized claws were too harsh to hold Byleth, his skull was too big to feel the full form of her hands. She reciprocated his feelings. It was the way things were going to be while Dimitri still had the body of a demonic beast. Byleth would find a way to fix this. Her student, her responsibility.

\---

It had been a while since Byleth was able to sleep on a mattress. The house they took shelter in might be falling apart, but at least the bed was still intact. Byleth didn’t see the need for lighting a fire indoors either. Now that she had clothes that were warm enough to carry her through the chilly night air with no issue. Even if she were to be freezing it was too much of a risk to have light give away their position.

Despite the comfort and their discreet location, Byleth found herself often waking up to the sounds of Dimitri’s grunts as he slept. With his size, there was no way he could've joined her on the mattress so he settled with the floor. So much with still treating him like a prince.

The grunts continued late into the night with no sign of stopping. It was unusual how Byleth hadn't encountered this until now, that and Dimitri slept much less often than her. She sat up, looking over the demonic beast on the ground, chesting heaving and muscles tensing in his sleep.

_ A nightmare, then? _

She felt the mattress beneath her and sighed. Byleth honestly didn’t think much about comfort, but she did take the pillow with her as she stepped around Dimitri and found a spot on the ground beside him. Before she laid herself beside him, she placed a cautious hand on his body. As kind as he had been treating her over the past few nights, his claws still worried her. Fortunately, he didn’t react badly to her touch. He seemed to relax from the feeling of her hand.

Byleth got down onto her side and wriggled herself into position, unsure if he’d end up liking her decision or not.

Claws raised and pulled the professor in.

Byleth wheezed at the sudden movement and looked up, a glowing blue eye staring at her in the darkness. It was like he was asking her a pointed question. It made it look like Byleth was doing this for her own motives, not for Dimitri’s nightmares. Not like she could explain that at the moment. She shrugged and then settled into her new sleeping arrangement. Dimitri didn’t question any further. He seemed to like it even, shifting his weight with the professor now in his arms. Byleth didn’t realise how sleeping like this felt more like the norm compared to sleeping alone. How many times has it been now since she had slept in Dimitri’s proximity? She didn’t think much beyond that, letting the warmth of his body carry her back to sleep.

\---

Dimitri was the one to wake Byleth this time. She hopped onto her feet, sensing the beat of urgency in the way he nudged her awake. Byleth peered towards a small gap in one of the walls and saw a group of figures approaching them. She tried to look for any Empire colours, but so far they were dressed discreetly. There was something about their movements that felt organised, or rather, familiar. It took a moment to realise that it was one of Byleth’s formations. Textbook, but she had altered some parts to improve the outdated tactics.

Byleth turned around to catch Dimitri’s eye. What should they do? Run? Fight? Byleth shook her head. Now that she was rested, she could feel Sothis’ power thrum from within her. It was risky to use the goddess’ power like this but Byleth wanted to get a better idea of what situation she was dealing with.

Byleth motioned for Dimitri to wait. She expected his knee-jerk denial every time she suggested that but this time the prince nodded. With a shaky breath, Byleth opened the door and stepped out of the house with her arms in the air. In some ways, a demonic beast was a strategic advantage. If things were going south, she could have Dimitri ambush them.

As the hooded figures spotted Byleth, she drew her standard sword. It didn’t have the same flare as her heroes’ relic but it still got her message across. The figures started to gather, though they made no movements to attack her. They adopted aggressive stances, one of them raising a hand as a mage would. Though, that aggression dropped quickly, the mage bringing their hand to their mouth to gasp. One eager figure took their hood off and stepped in front of everyone else.

“Professor?”

Byleth's eyes widened. She recognised that man. Orange hair with strands of white. Crows feet along the corners of his eyes and body built like a well-seasoned veteran.

“It is you!”

Another figure took off their hood. A woman with similar hair though it was shoulder-length, a bit longer than the professor remembered. The first thing Byleth recognised was her smile. Bright with genuine enthusiasm. 

Annette and Gilbert looked at each other, stunned at the discovery. There was still some well-justified caution but Byleth trusted her instinct enough to sheath her sword. The third figure revealed themselves, a man with greyish short hair with a splatter of freckles across his face. He carried a bow on him and kept a lookout for the surrounding area.

“We should leave soon. Empire soldiers are approaching,” Ashe said, placing a hand on Annette’s shoulder. She nodded, then turns to look at the professor. She started to close the distance between them and Byleth sensed some anxiety coming from the prince inside the house.

Byleth raised her hand and Annette stopped in her tracks. She frowned, unsure of what she was trying to get across. The professor took in a deep breath, then stepped towards the house again. She opened the door, the hinges creaking over as she looked at Dimitri who was huddled inside.

Shame. Byleth could see it in the way his shoulders were hunched and how he hid away from the light.

“What’s going on?” Gilbert asked. He stepped closer, hand on his weapon out of caution. Byleth pointed to his hand and shook her hand. _ There was no need for that. _Instead, the message only worried the seasoned knight more. Her lack of speech had started to arose some suspicion. “What happened to you?”

Byleth looked into the house again, Dimitri still hesitant on revealing himself. He wasn't like this when the professor found him at that tower, but whatever that was going through his mind made old friends seem like enemies. The professor mustered her warmest smile and held her hand out towards the prince. _ It’s okay, _ she mouthed. Byleth gestured for the familiar faces to wait there as she entered the house. Gently, she coaxed the prince out of his fear. _Things will only get better, _Byleth mouthed as she placed her hand on Dimitri’s shoulder. He huffed and whined, no sign of his nervousness fading. Byleth reached down and took his oversized claw-like she would a hand and lifted it like she wanted him to stand up.

Dimitri looked at her and Byleth didn’t erase her smile. She believed what she was claiming. Byleth hoped that seeing old friends again, being in a place where they weren't alone and desperate to survive would start the process in healing his crippled soul. The prince held on to her expression, and perhaps he had started to believe her. Slowly, the prince took her lead, standing up from the ground in a mass of scales and pure strength. Byleth nodded as she guided him out of the house, stepping out of the door and looking out towards Gilbert, Annette, and Ashe. Byleth held up one more cautionary gesture towards them, heavily signing for them to not attack, and then led Dimitri through the door.

It didn’t stop Annette from gasping, nor Ashe from nearly dropping his bow. Gilbert couldn’t help himself and his hand tensed on his weapon as Byleth led out a demonic beast with her hand.


	8. The Base

“I recognised your title when news of the ‘One-Eyed Demon’ and the ‘Ashen Demon’ were spotted travelling together. What I didn’t expect was… this.”

Hanneman gestured towards Byleth and Dimitri who stood closely with the professor. The prince’s large body barely fit inside the tent, already knocking over a few shelves and bookcases as he forced himself in. He hasn’t left Byleth’s side even as they were fleeing Empire territory with Gilbert, Annette and Ashe.

Ashe, being the nimble scout he was, went on ahead and made it his duty to persuade the entire Seiros camp not to attack the demonic beast that was about to arrive at their base. It would’ve been impossible to sneak a monster his size through the camp anyway, this was the next best option. News would spread quickly though, and Byleth cringed at the potential spies that lurked everywhere. It wouldn’t be long until the truth reached Empire shores, cross-referencing the information Hubert had gotten from their little chat.

Whatever progress Byleth was making with returning Dimitri’s humanity started to spiral in a bad way. The prince growled at anything that stared at him for too long or flinched at the sight of him. As they approached the crest researcher’s tent, the professor found herself maintaining a constant hand to steady the on-edge prince. Hanneman didn’t mention it, but Byleth could sense his curiosity in the way the prince was overly attached to her.

“I know there’s a lot to unravel, but I’d like to start with analysing your crest. I-if that’s alright with you, Prince Dimitri,” Hanneman said, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. It was hard to remember demonic beasts used to be men, and Byleth could tell Hanneman wasn't fully convinced this was the prince. The professor was sure that if his device showed the crest of Blaiddyd that would erase his doubts. Dimitri’s instinct was to snap at the researcher but Byleth swatted him on the arm before he made himself too threatening.

_ He’s just trying to help, _she frowned at the prince who huffed at the scolding.

“Just step up to the crest analyser here…” the researcher coughed, pointing towards a symbol on the ground. Byleth helped guide the prince into position and let Hanneman do his work. The device was taking a bit longer to analyse the prince and the longer it took the more he grew nervous. The older researcher gave out an audible sigh of relief once a crest lit up on the device, then hummed the closer he looked.

“That’s strange,” he remarked, “As I recall, Prince Dimitri had a _ minor _Crest of Blaiddyd.” Byleth stared at the fading projection of the prince’s crest as Hanneman started to furiously consult his notes. He brought a hand to his chin, a look of utter fascination on his face. “How could this be? I’ve never heard of another crest-bearer having their crest transform into a major crest…”

\---

The distressed researched had asked for some privacy, delving deep into his notes just as the professor turned around to leave (though a part of her believed he couldn't concentrate with Dimitri's presence). The moment Byleth and Dimitri exited Hanneman’s tent, the professor's breath caught in her throat. She was stunned to see familiar figures, well, instinct told her that they were familiar. Physically, they were different from when she last saw them.

The professor's old students stood outside the tent, chatting quietly with each other and waiting to see the pair. All the boys grew taller, especially Ashe now that Byleth saw them stand with the girls of the Blue Lion's house. Annette grew out her hair while Mercedes and Ingrid had shortened theirs. They all didn't wear their academy uniforms, instead dressed in armour and clothes fit for adept fighters. Byleth she… she didn’t know how to feel about this. Happy, yes, she felt that when she saw her class all grown up but it started to fringe on becoming uncomfortably overwhelming. It was hard to suppress a small smile as Annette and Ashe were the ones to nudge the rest of the students forward. Being crowded like this was a familiar feeling. Sometimes she had to address the whole group, other times they came to her for advice together. It started off feeling that way but it quickly shifted into caution with Dimitri closely behind Byleth.

Emotions turned into shock and confusion. Ingrid stepped back, hands to her mouth as Sylvain grabbed her shoulders for support. Mercedes’s persistent warm expression turned somewhat serious and Felix laughed. Most of the other student shot a look towards the dark-haired man who crossed his arms as he regarded the crown prince’s form.

“You know, I always called you a boar, but I think beast suits you just as well,” Felix said, gesturing towards Dimitri. The prince growled, fangs baring and ready to snap. Byleth immediately placed a hand towards the beast and shook her head. _ Not worth it. _

Ingrid slapped Felix’s arm and the man looked up at her, rubbing where she struck.

“Felix! Not now,” the knight said bluntly. Any amusement Felix had on his face turned sour and he retreated from throwing more jabs. "Well, it's... uh. Nice to see you again professor."

"Yeah, I knew you'd come back someday. We all did," Sylvain said, attempting to sound cheerful but couldn't help but looking distracted.

Mercedes was the first to step up, but instead of focusing on Dimitri she went straight to Byleth and took a look at her neck. The professor smiled and lowered her collar to show the kindhearted mage. That was what Byleth like about Mercedes, she took the wellbeing of people seriously. It wasn’t something that the professor taught, Mercedes came to that resolve on her own.

“I believe Professor Manuela is currently in that tent,” Mercedes said, gesturing to the location she mentioned and ignoring the snarling demonic beast. “That looks serious.”

Byleth smiled, appreciating the direction and started making her way there. The students let them pass, standing to the side with small nods. Dimitri ignored his classmates, his attention still all on the professor. It certainly wasn’t the best reunion for the whole class, with Byleth surviving several near-death situations and Dimitri no longer a human. The professor started to plan in her mind ways to make up for the intended increase in moral. Possibly invite them all to a meal as she would back at Garreg Mach. She'd like to hear what they've been up to in the past five years. Ingrid looked stronger. Annette looked wiser. Sylvain and Felix, well... they looked older. Byleth didn't spot Dedue with the rest of them. She'd like to know his fate, and by the looks of it, she wasn't afraid for it to be grim. She briefly glanced over at Dimitri. Would he know Dedue's fate?

Byleth was relieved to see that all of them were doing well, but another emotion started to trump the lukewarm feeling of happiness. It wasn’t a bad feeling, it was just the reality of the situation.

It wouldn’t be long until she had to command them all in battle once more, reversing time to ensure that none of them died under her watch.

\---

“Nuh-uh. I can’t concentrate on my diagnosis with that… beast right there. No offence, Prince Dimitri,” Manuela said. The prince took _some offence_, huffing at her as he edged closer towards Byleth who pushed him back. Manuela looked bothered by the reaction. “This isn’t a petting zoo. Can’t you get him to… wait outside?”

Byleth looked over at the prince who, expectedly, didn’t like the idea. The professor shook her head, then pointed to the exit. She remembered something and did a similar gesture to before she ambushed the bandits. Byleth began to gesture back and forth between her heart and his. _ Trust me, I’ll be fine. _The professor heard on the wind that with her and Dimitri’s return, they might retake Garreg Mach. If that was the case she planned to comb through the library on any sign-language scripts. A good temporary solution for her current predicament.

Dimitri huffed, then turned around and stomped out of the tent. A small yelp could be heard followed by a clatter of a box, probably a merchant. Manuela sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before gesturing for the professor to sit closer to her. With her expert touch, she reached forward and inspected the skin. Her usually charming expression was replaced with a deep frown, muttering something under her breath as Byleth felt the familiar warmth of a heal spell. Light glowed between the two women, though the physician's expression remained dark.

Manuela pulled her fingers away, “Don’t speak yet. I don’t think I helped.”

Byleth cocked her head in question and the physician moved over to one of her bookshelves. She pucked out a heavy tomb and set it down on a table before returning to the professor, trying another spell. This time, the spell glowed in a soft blue hue, a spell Byleth didn't quite recognise. Her knowledge of white magic wasn't as extensive as it should be. Manuela shook her head again, her expression growing grimmer.

“I… This is...” she trailed off, mouth agape. Byleth knew she was skilled and a part of her knew Manuela could guess what happened by just examining the wound.

Byleth took off her coat to show her the splits in her arms. The skin was mostly healed but faint marks on where they cracked were there. Manuela looked down at the arms and back up again to Byleth, eyes wide and in horror. Byleth closed her eyes, then mimicked the last thing Hubert did to her by bringing her hand to her throat. She assumed Manuela understood the situation by now. The physician stood up, taking the tomb with her and placing it back on the shelf. The air was heavy between the two of them as she struggled to find the words to say to the professor.

“Black magic and white magic wounds are one thing, but those spells didn’t cause black scarring or purple burn marks,” she began, sitting back down on the chair facing Byleth, “Dark magic is on a whole other level, I… I’m sorry. The best thing I can think of is treating it daily, but even then having that kind of spell cast at such a close range… I don’t think your voice will ever fully return.”

Byleth shrugged, not upset about the diagnosis. Injuries happened all the time in battle. People lost limbs or ended up crippled all the time in war. As long as she could still hold a blade and run across a battlefield she was still useful. Well, useful as a mercenary. The professor's indifference put Manuela off somewhat, and she looked awkward from the lack of grief she was expecting from her patient.

“Regardless, I’ll concoct a salve for you and send it to your room. Oh, and I wanted to talk to you about… someone else,” she said quietly, gesturing towards the outside of the tent. Byleth looked behind her and saw the ever vigilante silhouette of Dimitri standing close by. She turned to look back at Manuela who shifted even closer to the professor to whisper in her ear. “As much as I love the idea of an avid admirer, just be careful our prince over there doesn’t develop an… overly crippling attachment to you, if you know what I mean.”

Byleth didn’t know what she meant, so she frowned as her response.

“I worry about him. He’s obviously been through a lot and the signs of aggression he’s showing aren’t healthy. As his professor, I hope you can guide him out of his... darkness.”

Byleth sighed and nodded. She hoped she could guide him well too.

She thanked the physician with a smile and a nod before stepping out of the tent. Dimitri reacted to her return and took his position beside her, Byleth sighing at the action. It wasn’t like her to feel overwhelmed but the weight of Dimitri’s fate felt like it weighed heavily on her shoulders. From the looks of it, Byleth was the only one capable of saving the prince right now. Dimitri shot her a glance from the reaction then nodded towards her neck. Byleth smiled but shook her head. _ There was nothing she could do. _

Dimitri stalled, blue glowing eye looking at Byleth, before stepping forward and pressing his forehead against hers.


	9. The Church

Soon after the professor and Prince Dimitri’s return, the remnants of the church of Seiros and the Kingdom’s army moved in to retake Garreg Mach. It was a shame to lose the Sword of the Creator to the empire but Byleth was just as effective in battle without it. The demonic beast rarely strayed from the professor, ignoring anyone but her during the whole battle. Together, they retook the monastery with barely any resistance. Even news of the two 'fabled' demons making their way towards the location probably scared off looters and bandits before their arrival.

Another headcount was done when they arrived. Catherine, Shamir and Cyril went missing, and Seteth and Flayn were captured some time a few months ago by the empire. Alois had joined the Alliance for now though that might change if he was willing to make the journey back to Garreg Mach. Rodrigue, who joined the army once he heard the prince had returned, didn’t hide his concern for the pair. He vowed to serve Prince Dimitri, but what future king was there to serve if the heir was a near-uncontrollable demonic beast? It ended up being another responsibility placed on the professor’s shoulders.

It was hard enough to speak, but Byleth took on the responsibility of passing on messages to the prince as well.

Again, she wasn’t one to complain. Jeralt didn’t raise her to complain. Byleth took on each task she was given and delivered it to the best of her ability. That was her role here as a professor, it was the least she could do. Although, she found herself losing momentum in her piling day to day work. It wasn’t something she wanted to admit, but she wanted to spend more time with her students. Frivolous things like fishing, gardening, or even eating a meal with them. In the past few nights, Byleth was locked away in her newly appointed office organising new trade routes for merchants and assigning battalions. Even being re-located away from the dormitory was a blow towards her feeling of detachment.

It didn’t help that Dimitri was in no position to contribute either. Demonic beasts couldn’t hold a quill.

Byleth was worried that Dimitri would continue persisting to be by the professor’s side, but instead, he was often found in the church, staring at the rubble of the fallen roof. She didn’t know what was going through his mind, and what problems he shoulders that she should help him with.

Byleth put the quill down, and for the first time felt the need to take a break. She pressed her fingers to her temples and sighed, the candlelight beside her on the fringes of burning out.

Her first thought was to visit her father’s tombstone. She intended to come to the graveyard when she woke up from her five-year nap, but Dimitri didn’t give her the opportunity. She noticed that fresh flowers were placed for him recently. Byleth wondered who it could be.

Byleth knelt, reaching her hand forward and placed her fingers against the words. She felt her father’s name beneath her fingertips and the unwelcoming sensation of tears started to resurface. She pulled her fingers away, as well as retracting that emotion of grief. It wasn’t like her to act like this. She spent the rest of her time sitting in front of the stone, eyes fixated on the detailing etched onto it.

Byleth reminded herself of the ring her father gave her around her neck and pulled it out of her shirt. The metal shone in the moonlight, reflecting the bright and colourful gems set into the piece. She pressed it to her lips again, thanking her father for everything before tucking it away. Byleth was eternally grateful for the lessons Jeralt taught her, but a sinking feeling in her stomach ached for more advice. How could she become a better professor? How should she reconnect with her old students? How should she save Dimitri?

No answers came to her, of course. Just the biting wind passing by Garreg Mach’s grounds, nipping at her emotionless face.

Byleth found it her responsibility to check on Dimitri at least. He rarely ate or slept, or even move from where he stood. Many avoided the church because of him, afraid he would snap at them or even kill them. When she stepped through the grand doors of the build Dimitri didn’t realise it was her, ignoring her footsteps as she approached him. Byleth looked around the empty church, recalling the times she attended choir practice with her students. She wasn’t as religious like most other people in Garreg Mach, but it was still fun to indulge in the activity.

Byleth felt at her throat. She had been applying the salve Manuela gave her. It was working somewhat and most of the pain had subsided. She still just couldn’t make a sound with her throat, her voice coming out as a whisper. She had learned some basic signals with to do with her hands, but they were more suited for battle and espionage. Not quite for day-to-day communication.

She closed her eyes and, out of a moment of curiosity, tried to sing the first line of a choir song. Byleth wheezed after the third word. Not a surprise, but the echoing of the church halls carried her voice somewhat. A small success.

Dimitri took notice of her then, turning around and approaching her. He looked at her, wondering what she was doing being out this late. Byleth shrugged, glancing past him and trying again. She sang the next few words without any luck and shrugged at the prince. He looked around, staring up at the crumbled church around them and grumbled. Byleth remembered the prince joining her during choir practice. He preferred to spend his time in the training ground but he sometimes found the time to join her which she appreciated. He was a decent singer, someone who could hold a note but not hit the key quite right. What mattered more was his motivation to see things through and the effort he put in, compared to Sylvain who would always try to sneak out mid-way through the practice.

To Byleth’s surprised, she watched him open his mouth and attempt a song just as she did. He started as gentle as he could manage, a suppressed howl that whined off-key. The professor could recognise certain parts of the song though, Dimitri hitting notes despite the incompatibility of his body. Then his howls got louder and Byleth tensed, thinking about all the sleeping men and women on the other side of the bridge. She couldn’t hide her amusement and she began to laugh. Something about his attempt brought her joy. It wasn’t that she was mocking Dimitri, but the image of a demonic beast singing a hymn felt bizarre out of all things.

Dimitri sunk, looking a bit embarrassed but Byleth shook her head and hands. _ No, you did great, _ she mouthed enthusiastically. _ Thank you for that. _

He responded with a small nudge against her head. It was their thing now, this small gesture. Byleth never expected to grow so close with the prince but she was partially glad she did. It was hard to remember how cold he acted towards the rest of the people in the monastery. Byleth frowned at the thought, then caught Dimitri’s attention.

_ Everybody is here to help you, _ Byleth mouthed slowly with gestures to emphasise certain words. _ Stop pushing people away. _

Dimitri cocked his head, then nudged against her again.

_ No, _ Byleth frowned, pushing against the prince, _ Other people. Not just me. _

The prince didn’t like being told that, and he huffed disapprovingly. The professor scowled at that reaction. He looked like he had more to stay but his cursed form limited his ability to do so. A familiar frustration started to take form as attempted words came out as intelligible growls and grunts. Byleth tried to stop him but Dimitri began to lash out, whipping his tail and knocking pews aside. He had lost control then, curling his claw into a fist and slamming it into the ground, causing the marbled floors to cave in.

Dimitri snapped his head towards Byleth, stunned and hand to her mouth agasp. The prince softened, shoulder dropping as he looked around in the small aftermath he caused within such a short amount of time.

Something washed over Byleth, a chill that struck her body. She shook her head, giving one final look at Dimitri before turning around and leaving the church. For a second, she thought she saw the old him but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. She didn't know how it got to that point, which led to feeling clueless on how to help. What was she feeling now? Disappointment? Anger? Fear? Which emotion was it? The feeling of her stomach aching returned. Same with the squeezing of her heart.

\---

Byleth was too caught up in her thoughts to notice Dimitri trying to call her back. The prince watched her go, disappearing out of his sight and leaving him alone in the church.

Something was pulsing within Dimitri he learned to ignore. He had all the power he needed to destroy Edelgard in this form. All they had to do was take him to her to rip out her throat. It was all her fault. The Flame Emperor. She was the one that took everything away from him. She had to pay. She had to-!

Dimitri looked down at his fists again, just now noticing the echos of his strike against the marble floor. He glanced around and felt another weight added onto his heart. The prince thought he saw eyes, staring down at him and shaming him for desecrating such a holy place with such a cursed body. That was what Byleth probably felt when she left.

He had to make sure the professor was safe too. He might have lost his humanity but she still mattered to him, anchored him to what he used to believe in. Dimitri needed to win this war for his family, for his country- but the professor… No, she’d help him. That was what she was doing at the moment.

Dimitri returned to his spot in front of the pile of rubble, somewhat drawn to this specific spot. There was nothing to drown out the voices he heard in such an isolated place, the dead calling out for justice ringing in his mind. He would avenge them soon, they just had to wait. He-

No. The voices weren’t right. It was because of them he nearly got Byleth killed. They told him to ignore her when she tried to save him. They told Dimitri that she was just another tool when she reminded him of what it was like to be happy, even for a small moment. The voices called her weak, and then called _him _weak. How many more times will the voices make him push Byleth away? He didn’t want that, not after seeing her look so sad so many times already.

Dimitri starred out to where Byleth left and something churned within his chest. A feeling of darkness that pressed up against his scaled body and brought him to his knees. He clutched where his heart was and howled in pain. He knew this sensation, the feeling of this power leaving his body. Dimitri was used to sealing it within him, fighting against its desire to escape.

But no, he thought differently this time. Enough to part with this curse... for now. Dimitri let go of his chest and braced the ground with both his arms. He clenched his jaw and squeezed his eye shut. He was a better person than this monster. He had to let it go.

Dimitri felt like he was being torn apart, then a light flashed before his eyes before darkness washed over him.

\---

“...Professor….! Professor, _ wake up!” _

Byleth lept awake, kicking off the blanket on top of her and reacting to the banging at her door. She got up, patting her hair down and opened it to see Ingrid panting heavily at the entrance to her office. Sweat dripped down her forehead and she brought her forearm across it to wipe it away. She took a moment to catch her breath before forcing the words out of her mouth.

“It’s Dimitri,” Ingrid wheezed. “He’s- the church- he-”

Byleth placed a hand on Ingrid’s shoulder before dashing past her out of her office. She lept down the stairs to the ground floor and raced across the church’s grounds. It was early morning, the sun barely past the horizon as Byleth ran across the bridge. Soldiers who stood guard saluted hastily as she passed by, surprised by the urgency of her movements.

Byleth wasn’t the only one at the church. A sparse crowd of people was gathered inside. They muttered. Some gasping and stepping away. Mercedes was there, trying to calm the people who were drawn to the commotion. She gave Byleth a nod as she passed by her not sparing her much more of a greeting.

_ Where was Dimitri? _

The professor gently shoved people aside, pushing her way towards the centre of the church to see Annette crouched over an unconscious man with a heavy coat draped over him. At first, Byleth thought it was a murder in the church grounds. An assassination. On close inspection, however, that proved to be incorrect.

Byleth saw the golden mop of hair and recognised it. Annette spotted her in the crowd and waved her over to see. The professor stepped forward, analysing each part of the man who laid on the ground before her. Annette moved aside as Byleth got to her knees and brushed the man’s hair from his face. She saw a scar over his right eye which confirmed her suspicions, but she saw more than just that.

Scales were scattered across this man’s skin, coloured grey-silver.

“Dimitri?” she tried to say. Her voice came out as a quiet whine, failing to catch his attention.

Byleth placed a hand on his chest only to feel something hard beneath the coat. Cautiously, she peeled back more and saw that the blonde man held something to his chest. The design rung a bell, similar to the blade Byleth used to wield. It took a while for the name to come to her, but the significance was all the same.

Clutched in the hands of the crown prince was a shard of the heroes’ relic, Areadbhar.

_ So many questions, _Byleth thought, breathing heavily as she stared at the incomplete relic. Her attention returned to Dimitri as he started to groan awake, eyes twitching as his body tensed.

Byleth reached over and held the man in her arms, lifting him to feel the shallowness of his breathing and the beat of his heart against her body. The prince stirred more, groaning. Byleth heard his voice. It was human. It sounded like him. She held him tighter, one hand reaching over to cradle his head. Byleth felt Dimitri’s head turn and, ignoring the gasps from Annette and the onlookers, reached up to hold the professor as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd just like to say now that I'm slightly more conscious I'm re-reading the whole thing for errors and the whole fic is littered with small mistakes and questionable grammar. If you've stuck with me this far bless your heart and curse my stubbornness on not getting a beta reader. Also clarification on some bits.


	10. The Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd we're back.

Byleth leaned away from the embrace and looked at Dimitri. His blue eye still carried the same faint glow, and as he opened his mouth to speak she could see a row of sharpened canines. Despite the persistent bestial appearance, the professor could finally see his face after what felt like an eternity. She couldn't help but smile, distracting the prince from whatever he had just tried to say.

Though she also noticed how exhausted he was, dark circles marked beneath his eyes and his body slumped in her arms. Byleth wondered what it must feel like to become a human after living as a demonic beast for quite some time.

Dimitri reached up with a hand and froze, inspecting the shortened claws that protruded from his fingers down to the scales that wrapped down parts of his arm. Wide-eyed and caught off-guard, he let out a shaky breath.

“Professor, I-” the prince’s attention was drawn away from the moment and to the people that surrounded the pair. He grew tense, scowling deeply as he barred his teeth like an animal being threatened. The professor followed his gaze and saw more people than she remembered shuffling around them anxiously.

Byleth instinctually placed her body between them and Dimitri despite the people meaning them no harm. It was more of a habit to protect them from the prince.

Servants were bringing in clothes. Some were carrying food and water for the awakened prince. Soldiers from the army had dropped by to check out the commotion, trying to take a peek through the crowd. The rest were distressed nuns and priests watching this all unfold in the church. It was mass confusion. Some wanted to approach. Some didn’t. Even if the professor could command them, her voice wouldn’t be able to reach their ears.

Dimitri sat up. Preparing to flee or fight the professor wasn’t sure. She made sure the cloak didn’t fall past his mid-section as she looked around for Annette or Mercedes for help. She caught the blonde woman’s eye in the crowd and signalled for help with a panicked expression. Byleth’s initial plan was to call her over and mouth something to her but that wasn’t necessary.

“Alright everybody, we’re going to give them some privacy. If we could all just leave those things here and file outside-” Mercedes started directing a section of the crowd. Something about her calm delivery had people gravitate towards her command, slowly shuffling into place. Annette perked up, glancing once at the professor for approval before assisting her friend. “Thank you, everyone. I know this is all very- Oh! Ashe, Sylvain, over here! Could you lead these people out of the East door?”

Byleth kept close to Dimitri as she spotted more Blue Lions entering the church. The two men looked dishevelled and half awake but adapted to Mercedes’ lead within seconds. The professor watched her old students work seamlessly together, the clattering noises of talk and shuffling slowly dampening and eventually dwindling into silence. Byleth sighed. They had grown up so much over the years.

Dimitri started to relax, the grip he unknowingly had on the professor’s arm softened. He suddenly flinched his hand away and sighed after seeing she was unscathed. Byleth sat away from the prince, crouching in front of him with her hands on his shoulders to steady him.

_ How- are- you- feeling?  _ she mouthed slowly. He stared at her lips, his eyes then trailing down to her neck. Dimitri reached towards the professor as he sat up more properly, eyebrows knitted and lips pressed in a thin line. He carefully took his sharp fingers and, with Byleth’s unspoken permission, reached up to touch the black scar across her neck. She shivered at the warm touch but suppressed a reaction to move as he ran his thumb gently across her skin. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but it was still a place she found to be vulnerable.

The prince’s expression darkened further. Something kindled beneath that blue eye that concerned Byleth. She saw hints of it while he was a beast, but now that he was human there was no shroud to obscure what she saw.

“They’ll pay for what they did to you,” Dimitri growled, his voice gravelly and low. It was different from the way he used to speak. It felt more mature to Byleth, though with a sharp, intimidating undertone. It worried her even more.

Byleth reached up and lowered the prince’s hand. She shook her head as she held his fingers.  _ Don’t worry about that right now. _ The professor thought for a second, before mouthing slowly  _ can- you- move-? _

She gestured two fingers walking across the air to him and the prince seemed to understand her enough. He groaned as he tried to get to his feet but looked to be struggling. The cloak on his body slipped more, the prince’s grip loosening on the edges. Suddenly bashful, the prince was trying to stay modest while not bringing much attention to the situation. He still struggled to get on his feet with the added responsibility of shielding his body from the professor. He wasn’t making much progress.

Byleth quickly motioned with her hands to stop, then looked around her. She spotted a set of clothes that had been left behind and went over to grab them.

Dimitri didn’t thank her when she returned, eyes focused on the ground as he took the bundle of fabric from her hands. The professor spun around and waited patiently for him to finish and her mind wandered to the past few days. Did that mean the prince had been naked this whole time? She… didn’t know how to feel about that, a small warmth rising to her cheeks. Byleth rarely felt nervous, or embarrassed, or shy. Why was she feeling like this now?

The sound of fabric tearing caught her attention but she stopped herself from turning around. From the sounds of it, the prince had frozen in place, the sound of rustling clothes stopping. Dimitri sighed from behind her and groaned to his feet. So he was done then?

Byleth looked over her shoulder slowly then realised what had happened. The prince stumbled over to another set of clothes left on the marble ground abandoning a torn buttoned shirt behind. He managed to get the trousers on at least. The professor found herself staring at the prince's back and saw it was littered in scars among the patches of scales. She could tell they were old from a glance, ranging from fine lines to large gashes. It was hard to put a year on them, but it had fueled her speculation on how long the prince had been a demonic beast for.

Dimitri took a new shirt from the ground, the muscles of his back shifting as he reached down. He tried again, throwing the fabric over his shoulders, heavily fixated on the buttons and struggling to maneuver his clawed fingers. Another tear. A small curse under his breath. Dimitri dropped the shirt and Byleth turned back around as he approached another bundle.

In the distance, the professor spotted Ashe peek into the church. He looked concerned, checking in on her as while constantly glancing back outside. The Blue Lions was still trying to keep the crowd at bay.

Byleth gave a small thumbs up to Ashe as a sign they’ll be done soon before approaching the prince who was mid-attempt on the third shirt.

Dimitri noticed her approach and knew what was coming. He didn't reject her offer, but the way his shoulders tensed and his eyes narrowed suggested that he wanted to. Byleth reached for the edges of the open shirt. He had slotted a button in at least, just in the wrong hole.

"I'm not a child…" he mumbled, glancing off to the side. The professor shrugged. She knew.

Byleth undid the incorrect button and the prince's stomach tensed, showing the outline of muscle as he held his breath. She did them up quickly, leaving the top one open for comfort. The professor looked around for the cloak and went over to grab it. The dark fabric was heavy, lined with a thick trail of fur. Nice and warm for the chilly winds of Garreg Mach. She threw it over the prince's shoulders while on her toes and secured it to his person.

_ There, all done. _ Byleth looked up at the prince. He still hadn't relaxed and she furrowed her brows wondering if she did something wrong.

"Prince Dimitri!" A voice echoed into the chamber and they spun to see Gilbert run up to them. The veteran was panting, sweat glistening on his forehead as he stared at Dimitri with eyes wide. “You’re back!”

Byleth caught the prince’s expression shift, going still for a moment before walking past her. He still struggled to move but he did everything in his power to hide it, grunting faintly with each step.

“I was always here. Assemble the war council and tell me the current state of the Empire,” Dimitri said, walking past Gilbert and towards the exit. The elderly knight stood there stunned for a moment, turning to glance at Byleth before inhaling sharply and quickly catching up to the prince’s side.

\---

Now that the One-Eyed Demon had left the people could cause a commotion without worrying about a looming presence snapping at them. Together, they returned pews into their places, marking those that were chipped or broken and sectioned off broken parts of the floor to be patched over. Byleth felt the need to apologise in Dimitri’s place. It wasn’t fair to have others clean up the remnants of his aggression.

As people filtered back into the church, Byleth spotted her students in the crowd joining in to help her. Even Felix had come by after Dimitri had left, quietly sweeping up bits of marble that were being collected to repair the floor. The professor enjoyed their presence whether or not she was involved in chatter. It was like when they were in class and they talked amongst themselves. It reminded her of the past she was only living in not so long ago.

“-so what do you think, professor?”

Byleth glanced up at Ingrid who had asked her a question she missed. The professor spun her fingers in the air.  _ Come again? _ Sylvain tsked and Ingrid turned to glare at him.

“At least be nice to the professor and ask her a yes or no question,” he said as he tossed a wooden chip to the side. Ingrid’s sour expression turned into mild shock.

“Oh, you’re right! I- uh… well, professor. I was thinking now we’re back at the monastery I should take up flying again. It didn’t feel safe to practice on the pegasus while we were at the war camp,” she said. The obvious answer was to encourage her. Byleth didn’t see any downsides and gave her a nod. This surprised Ingrid somewhat. “Aren’t you worried that… it’d take me too long to pick it up again? With the war and all?”

With Ingrid’s motivation and passion of a knight? Of course not. Byleth wasn’t worried. The professor then saw the undertone beneath her words, an instinct she had picked up. Ingrid was a knight, another piece of the army. She didn’t just consider her own skill, but her place in the force as a whole.

_ We’re still gathering our forces and fully reclaiming Garreg Mach. You have plenty of time. _

_ Even if you don’t feel confident enough to fly into battle, that doesn’t mean you’re barred from joining in the fight. _

_ Don’t feel pressured by the war and rush things. You’ll be fine. _

Byleth coughed as she rubbed the sore part of her neck and looked to Ingrid, smiling.  _ I- trust- that- you’ll- be- fine-,  _ Byleth mouthed to her slowly. She did it twice just in case. Ingrid wasn’t used to it, unlike Dimitri. The knight nodded, her lips curling as she looked pleased with the approval. The professor reminded herself to write her explanation on a note to pass onto the knight just in case anyway.

“Then professor,” Annette said from nearby. She was listening to the conversation as she collected wooden splinters with thick gloves. “Do you think there’s time for me to pick up white magic? I’ve been wanting to study it for some time and Mercedes has been showing me a bit.”

“Maybe before you learn to heal you should learn how to not get yourself hurt in the first place,” Felix said, not even looking over his shoulder.

“Wha- Felix! I’ll have you know that I’ve gotten bet- whoa!”

The mage stood up, too abruptly, and hadn’t realised her foot was caught in her dress. Ashe exclaimed as he was close enough to catch her in time, though the splinters Annette had collected had been tossed back onto the ground. Byleth heard a small snort come from the dark-haired knight, Felix chuckling and shaking his head. It was rare to see that man smile.

Annette’s face was lit up bright red, “I’m so sorry everyone! Ugh… thank’s Ashe.”

The archer nodded reassuringly, though with a small furrow in his brow like he knew to expect this. They went back to collecting splinters together, Annette passing one of her gloves to Ashe so he wouldn’t hurt his hand.

Sylvain caught the professor’s eye and he walked over to her, the other Blue Lions on the topic of Annette’s clumsiness which started to steer into talk about efficient footwork from Felix and Ingrid. A small laugh amongst the group after a passing joke lifted Byleth’s spirits.

“Not much has changed while you were gone,” the red-haired man said as he glanced towards his friends. Sylvain had been rather quiet, or he didn’t get much of a chance to talk to her until now. “Even after five years. Pretty comforting, huh?”

Byleth agreed. She found comfort in the familiarity. It soothed her in this chaotic time of war and conflict. The professor found it somewhat arrogant that she thought things would fall into despair while she was gone for five years. After seeing them laughing together it made Byleth trust her students’ ability to protect themselves in battle.

A thought. She looked over to Sylvain, almost accusingly and the man arched a brow.

_ So- you- and- wo- men- _

“-I should get back to cleaning.”

Sylvain walked away, a quickness to his step as he left the professor behind. Byleth smiled, shaking her head. Yes, she could enjoy this moment while it lasted, being with the people she cared about. All that it was missing was Dedue and Dimitri.


	11. The Advice

The cleaning went on until the night and Byleth gathered with her students at the dining hall. It felt good to have a nice meal after a hard day of work, though the longer she spent indulging in idle frivolities the more pressure she felt.  _ That was enough distractions for the day. _

After finishing her meal, she left the conversation early, waving the Blue Lions goodbye as she left the warmth of company. They all wished her a good night which made her all the more reluctant to leave.

Byleth returned to her office located on the third floor. It was where Lady Rhea’s room was too but it had been left untouched. Many people waited for the day she would return, though it meant it was only good for collecting dust until that day were to happen. There was another room in on this floor that was mainly used for storage until now, and the size and close distance from the war room was certainly an upgrade. It was just unfortunate how far Byleth was from the rest of the students back at the barracks.

The professor found more stacks of papers that were delivered to her desk. Reports on the enemy’s patterns and their movements across the continent. Now that Dimitri could speak, it was clear the prince was taking control over the army’s movements at Garreg Mach. A few sheets of paper detailed the order signed by Dimitri that they were to move out and intercept the Empire a few days West from the monastery. A straight-forward, aggressive move to advance into their territory.

There was a knock and Byleth put the paper down. Who would bother her so late? She couldn’t ask them to come in so she walked up to the door and opened it herself. Her eyes widened. The prince was standing at the entrance.

Dimitri wore a fresh set of clothes, including a black eye-patch for his scarred eye. It seemed like he was persuaded to bathe, looking a little more presentable if he didn’t glare at people wherever he walked. The choice of clothes he was presented with were long-sleeved and with a high collar, covering as much of his demonic features as possible. His hands were left uncovered. Probably too difficult to pull gloves over those claws. He also left that heavy cloak behind, though it wasn’t like the cold had much effect on him anyway. Arms crossed and still looking just as exhausted as Byleth last saw him, he frowned.

“I’d like to speak with you. May I come in?” Dimitri said. Despite asking a question, there was a tone of command in his words. An order. Byleth nodded and stepped aside to let the prince through, shutting the door behind her. What did Dimitri want at this hour?

The prince took his time, wandering slowly around her room like he was looking idly for something. He briefly glanced at the papers on her desk before stepped away. “I was expecting you to join me at the war meeting,” he said as he walked towards her nightstand. Dimitri eyed the medicinal bottle on the counter. “Though I suppose it would be hard to express your input at the moment.”

Byleth sighed. That was true.

Silence hung over them, lingering uncomfortably as Dimitri returned his attention to the professor. His eyes narrowed and Byleth couldn’t read what he was thinking.

“There’s something that had been bothering me over for quite some time now,” he said, stepping towards her. It wasn’t his usual intimidating gait, rather it was something careful and cautious like approaching a stray animal. The closer he got, the more… worried he seemed to be getting.

Dimitri stood in front of the professor now, looking down at her with his piercing blue eye. The dark circles underneath made him look hollow like he was on the fringe of collapse. Byleth found herself stepping back, stopping when she felt the door press up against her. There was another tense moment as if Dimitri was… looking for something in the professor.

“Your heart… It’s not beating, is it?” the prince said.

He watched her closely for her response, his fingers tensing against himself. Byleth could sense an air of caution around him as you would act around a potential enemy. He saw her as a threat, reluctantly, ready for her to resist with a heavy heart.

There was no point in lying. Rather, the professor never kept her condition a secret in the first place. It was something that didn’t come up in conversations. Until now that was.

Byleth shook her head, confirming Dimitri’s words and his eyes flickered in the low light of her room. She noticed the claws on his fingers had dug into his shirt, tearing slits in the fabric without him realising. His worries were replaced with disbelief.

“Explain yourself,” Dimitri growled, inching closer towards her, teeth barring. “When did this happen? When you woke up from the bottom of that chasm?” Byleth shook her head, more sternly this time, which only seemed to fuel the prince’s suspicions even further.

_ It- was- always- like- this-  _ she mouthed.  _ Ever- since- I- was- born-. _

The prince grabbed her shoulders and pinned her against the door, her back thumping against the wood. It should’ve hurt, but the prince had held himself back despite his feelings on the matter.

“What kind of joke is that?!” he exclaimed. “How can that be possible?!”

Byleth couldn’t explain. Even if she had her voice it wouldn’t change the fact that she didn’t know the reason herself. Jeralt wrote in his journal that he didn’t know either. She continued to look the prince in the eye, matching his gaze though instead of hostility it was earnest. The professor had nothing to hide.

It worked somewhat, the prince’s grip wavering as he stared at her. His frown softened, leaving behind a tired, confused man whose body still towered over hers. Then, he laughed. It was almost forced as if he reacted to some sick joke before it died out and hung his head.

“Ever since I saw you at the Goddess Tower,” Dimitri murmured. His voice reflected him better now, the aggression turned into something low and weak like he was dragging his words across the ground. “I thought you were a ghost. A new person to haunt me. Another person to disappoint. I couldn’t hear your heart. I couldn’t smell you… I was afraid that this entire time you were an illusion.”

Byleth reached up, her hand moving towards the prince’s cheek. She sensed his growing fears, a familiar thing she saw in the prince that would consume him soon after. She wouldn’t let it happen. He flinched at the gesture but quickly relaxed into it. She felt a mix of his skin and the roughness of the scales as she lifted his head up.

_ I’m- real-,  _ she mouthed.  _ I’m- right- here-. _

Dimitri sagged at that, his body unwinding as he started to believe her. He had spoken about hearing voices before, hallucinations that followed him wherever he went. The more she held onto him the more she felt like she was calling him back to reality.  _ That’s right,  _ she thought as she smiled at him.  _ Remind him where he was. Bring him a moment of peace. _

Something sparked within the prince, a flinch, his eye glimmering in the dark. He breathed out, mouth slightly parted as he was entranced by something. Byleth waited patiently, watching the prince’s gaze dart between her eyes and her smile. It was hard to tell what he was thinking now, the professor not familiar with this sort of behaviour from him. But she was willing to wait if it helped Dimitri feel better.

She found herself staring back too, looking at how his features had grown over the past few years. It was hard to put into words, but she found his face much more pleasing compared to the others. Or maybe it was the way he looked at her, an expression that she found appealing or the colour of his eye drawing her in.

Words in her mind clicked into place and Byleth found that it made sense. Dimitri was staring at her like you would when you undercovered something priceless after an eternity. A treasure. But what was so special about her that made him look that way?

That heat was returning to her cheeks again, her body warm against the chill of the night air of her room. What was there to be embarrassed about this moment? She should be used to this sort of closeness with him by now. 

Dimitri seemed to have caught the shifting colour of her face and finally let go of her, taking a step back. His expression was in even more shock than before, Byleth sensing a panic growing from within him.

The prince brought a hand up to rub his face before clearing his throat.

“Please, excuse me,” he said. Byleth stepped aside and Dimitri reached for the door. The prince didn’t give her another glance as he exited her room, hurried footsteps echoing down the stairs and disappearing. The professor closed the door after she couldn’t hear him anymore, her face still flushed as she lingered at the thought of what happened.

_ Just what has gotten into me?  _ Byleth thought, clenching her fists against the wall.

\---

The professor’s first thought was to go to Manuela, who she found asleep in the infirmary semi hungover. By the looks of it, she had come back from another date gone wrong. Byleth couldn’t help but shake her head. Manuela was a beautiful looking person and a skilled physician. It was just a shame she was hopeless in succeeding in whatever obsession she had over finding a suitor.

Byleth approached the quietly snoring instructor and nudged her shoulder. Manuela jolted awake with a small mumble, her eyes blinking slowly as she realised where she was.

_ Do- you- need- help?  _ Byleth mouthed to her, very slowly with the way the physician was squinting. She lulled her head back down, looking sick.

“Ugh… no. It’s fine. I can make my way back to my room, it was just farther than I could handle,” she said. Byleth saw her move her fingers up to rub her eyes, then stopped herself when she remembered she still had makeup on. “Did you need something? Is your throat hurting?”

Byleth shook her head, gesturing that her throat was fine. How could she explain her question in the easiest way possible?

The professor thought back to the moment with Dimitri and the closeness she had with him. Something about reliving the scenario in her mind made her stomach twist, but not in a painful way which was a good sign. The prince’s cheek pressed up against her hand and looking at her like she was worth something- It warmed her heart even more than it did before.

Most of her blushing had faded while she was seeking out Manuela though she had a feeling the physician caught a hint. Life quickly returned to her eyes, a spark that jolted her from the lull she was only in a second ago. She sat up, leaned forward, and propped her head in her hands.

“What’s this? Is our little professor having love problems too?”

Love? Was that the term? Byleth knew of what it was. She even helped to delivered ‘love letters’ for other students before. There had been times at the dining hall when she heard students openly speaking about crushes and who they liked and all that sort. It felt like a normal thing to feel but…

She reached up to touch her neck, suddenly feeling withdrawn. The professor didn’t know she was capable of feeling love.

“Oh, that’s so adorable! Though, from what I’m guessing from your reaction you don’t have a lot of experience. You’re such a stoic person as well,” Manuela said, clasping her hands together. “And you’ve come to me for first-time advice? I’m so honoured!”

The physician moved towards one of the shelves in the infirmary, humming to herself as she plucked a book from a collection. It looked to be an educational text with a plain-looking cover. She placed that on the table before moving towards one of the locked cabinets. Manuela unlocked the top drawing with a key that Byleth wasn’t sure where it came from and dug through the contents. She pulled out two other books though they sported more colourful designs on the cover. One of them was bright pink with bold cursive text.

“For someone like you, we’re going to start at the basics,” Manuela said with a wink. Byleth felt a small chill, a feeling that she ended up asking the wrong person for advice. The physician shoved the books into her arms, a cheery grin across her face. “Now, that hefty book is for just in case, but the other two are my favourite romance novels. If you want to get a man for yourself, do what the leading lady does to-the-letter! If you do them I’m sure you’ll capture the heart of whoever you have a crush on. Is that understood?”

Byleth nodded hesitantly, accepting the books with a weary smile. Manuela beamed, pure joy radiating from her expression.

“Oh my. I’ve never been this excited for you before,” she exclaimed. “You  _ have  _ to let me know what happens after you make the first move. Or when  _ they  _ make the first move. Oh, I’m getting ahead of myself!”

The professor kept up her smile out of politeness, but Manuela’s over-eagerness was sowing heavy doubts into the validity of her suggestion and ‘study material’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy here I go ramping up the romance


	12. The Shard

Byleth should’ve slept after her chat with Manuela but had found herself pouring through the books she had gotten instead. Frankly, she was more perplexed about the topic of love than intrigued.

The professor laid on her bed trying to figure out what the female lead of this novel meant when her ‘heart fluttered’. The more she poured through the text the more terms she found confusing. ‘Her heart skipped a beat’ and ‘her body felt like a raging fire from within’ just sounded like medical conditions. Perhaps that was why Manuela had them in the first place.

The romance described in those books felt shallow, and that the only key defining feature of why the characters fell in love was because they were handsome and did one charming gesture. It wasn’t like how people acted at all, at least, that’s what she assumed. Furthermore, Byleth felt like she started to understand the physician a bit more. In practical applications, the actions of the characters would only make Byleth annoyed or even threatened. She took Manuela’s advice with a heap of salt and came to the conclusion that perhaps she shouldn’t follow the female lead ‘to-the-letter’.

The novels weren’t all so bad though. She could see the charm in some parts and more in others. Byleth would probably need to consult more sources though to get a more accurate understanding on ‘romance’ and ‘being seductive’. 

The more formal looking text was a book on mating and how to conceive a child. Byleth found that more interesting than the other books. If she did love Dimitri then what would be the next step if something were to happen? Marriage? Children? It was strangely intimidating yet appealing. Was this how her father felt when he had met her mother?

She remembered the ring that she kept around her neck and touched it, thinking about her father and if he would approve of her in a state of love.

There was a knock on her door and Byleth didn’t suppress a groan as she put the book down. She had been studying those texts all night and didn’t notice the light pouring into her room until now. She rubbed her eyes and slid off her bed.

“Professor? Are you in there?” Hanneman’s said, muffled by the door. She walked up to it and opened it. He looked surprised to see the professor in her tired state. He seemed like the man who knew the difference between being just woken up to pulling an all-nighter. “I’ve discovered something about the prince I wish to show you. Will you follow me to my office?”

Byleth felt a little more awake at those words. She nodded, stepped out of her room and closing the door behind her.

\---

Hanneman’s office was in more disarray than Byleth was used to seeing it in. Even for the researcher, it didn’t matter how passionate he was on his current findings he would always clean up after himself. The professor was careful where she stepped, even noticing the shard of Areadbhar resting on the centre of his crest device on the ground. It was recovered from the church after Dimitri walked away. Byleth didn't understand why he left such a precious artifact behind.

“Now I haven’t brought this up to anyone else yet, and I trust you could keep this a secret until I deem it safe to disclose it to the rest?” he asked, thumbing through a stack of papers before pulling out a sheet full of disorganised notes. Byleth nodded, sensing the weight of the matter.

Hanneman sighed, then lifted the paper towards Byleth. She didn’t understand it.

“You see,” he said, pulling the paper away and looking at it himself, bewildered by whatever was written on it, “Dimitri’s crest never changed. Rather, it had amplified. It didn’t make any sense at first, but then I remembered Areadbhar, and then it started to make  _ some  _ twisted sense.”

Hanneman put that sheet of paper down and lifted two different ones. It appeared to have two separate drawings of the Blaiddyd crest. On closer inspection the drawings were layered, two sheets of paper plastered on top of each other creating a fragmented whole.

Byleth’s brows only furrowed deeper, looking up at the research with confusion. He caught the hint that he was losing her and put the sheets of paper down.

“Er, forgive me. Perhaps I should just jump to my conclusion rather than present my findings in order. You see… I believe Dimitri  _ forced  _ his demonic transformation by fusing with the heroes relic, Areadbhar.”

Byleth widened her eyes. Dimitri did that to himself?

“I initially thought that the prince’s crest had evolved into a major crest and the evolution changed his body. Rather, it was his minor crest overlapping with the power coming from the heroes relic,” Hanneman continued, ignoring Byleth’s surprise. The researcher’s expression turned grim as he stared down at the incomplete weapon on the ground, lifting a hand to his chin. “If that is the case and we only got part of the weapon back… It means there’s a chance the rest of the heroes relic is still fused within Dimitri.”

Hanneman took his spectacles off looking just as tired as her, “It’s incredible… Never would I have imagined crests being abused like this and yet...”

The professor caught Hanneman’s attention then mouthed something to him.

_ Is- Dimitri- fine-? _

If it’s true that Dimitri has a part of the heroes relic within him then wouldn’t that be dangerous? Byleth could only worry. Was there a way to extract the weapon out of him?

The researcher sighed, putting his spectacles back on. “I honestly do not know. I don’t know how he can control himself as a beast. I don’t know how he didn’t die in the initial fusion-” Hanneman fell into a nearby seat, looking exhausted, “I just  _ don’t know.” _

It must take a lot to wear out one of the top crest researchers in the world. Byleth knelt to the gentleman and smiled. Regardless of the grim findings, she was still grateful for this work. He returned a smile, though it was weak.

“If you could find a way to have the prince explain what he did and what went through his mind before he transformed… It would be instrumental in finding out the truth. Though, I'm not sure if he would give that information up lightly if I'm right about him inflicting this on himself,” he said. Byleth nodded, though she wasn’t sure if she would succeed. Something caught her eye and she peered out the window of his office. Soldiers were shifting across the monastery, ready to march.

That's right. Byleth was being deployed to battle today.

"Take the shard of Areadbhar with you." The professor spun around, looking back at the tired researcher. "It is dangerous for Dimitri to turn himself into a demonic beast, but I consider it far more detrimental to his health if he is an incomplete one. I've never seen a person's crest to be so unstable and I fear the worst..."

_ What- are- you- saying-?  _ Byleth mouthed. Hanneman sighed, acting grimly as he leaned forward and looked the professor in the eye.

"I'm saying to turn Dimitri back into a demonic beast, for his sake."

\---

Byleth joined the soldiers down at the grounds, the shard of Areadbhar strapped to her belt and obscured by her cloak. How she would use it to change Dimitri back into a demonic beast, she had no idea. She spotted familiar faces in the crowd, the Blue Lions were in their armour and ready to head out.

Joining them was another familiar figure, though he carried a much more intense presence as soldiers parted to let him through.

Dimitri was fitted into a new set of armour fit for a king. It was stained black with hints of royal blue lined around the edges. He wore the heavy fur cloak over his shoulder which almost seemed to have exaggerated his size, and from the looks of it, they finally made gloves suitable for his hands.

He caught the professor's eye in the crowd then his attention was pulled away, shouting at men who had apparently fallen out of line. Byleth placed on hand on the broken weapon as she thought about the ring around her neck. Her father wouldn't let her marry a beast, and she wouldn't want to either.

The professor's chest felt heavy. While Hanneman was still figuring the whole crest situation out, turning Dimitri back into a demonic beast was for the greater good. It was unusual that she found herself opposing the plan. It didn't matter if the man wasn't fully human, she was afraid of not seeing his face or hearing his voice ever again.

A foolish desire. It was blinding her duty.

Waves of people began to file out of the gates, Dimitri swinging himself on top of a horse and riding alongside the army. Byleth got on a horse as well, riding out of Garreg Mach lost in her thoughts. The people left her alone as she felt the hillside winds brush past her, her light green hair whipping in the air.

_ Could she do it? Convince the One-Eyed Demon to let go of his need for power? _

Shadows passed overhead and Byleth looked up, spotting Ingrid on her pegasus along with Ashe on a wyvern. They flew on ahead, keeping watch for any dangers with the other fliers in the air. They quickly moved out of sight and the professor felt a hint of concern, closing her eyes and stoking the flames of the goddess’ power within her.


	13. The Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> long chapter here we go

Night had fallen, marking the end of another day of travel. Byleth felt the familiar chill of when a battle was happening soon, preparing her for the worst.

Most of the chatter outside had died save for the footsteps of the patrolling guards around the camp. Despite the quiet, Byleth could sense the soldiers tensing, nervous about clashing swords with the Empire soon. Most of the tacticians were afraid that forcing their way into their territory like this opened them to ambushes. The army had to re-route twice after scouts came back with information on Empire forces attempting to surround them.

But Dimitri didn’t let his forces retreat. Tensions continued to build as they approached the heart of the enemy. Byleth found herself conflicted. She wanted to tell the whole army to retreat to Garreg Mach and thinks things through again. Was taking this approach in the war truly the best path?

She polished her sword and checked over the pieces of her armour. It was important to ensure that they wouldn’t fail her in battle. With her equipment in order, the professor applied the heavy salve across her neck. Byleth was patient with the healing process, keeping up with Manuela’s instructions for her recovery. The black scar was still on display, skin uncomfortably pinched around the edges of it. It was smaller than it used to be at least.

Byleth sat cross-legged on the ground, her sheathed sword on her lap, and closed her eyes. Her final upkeep for tonight.

The professor called the power of the goddess within her, feeling the force shifting beneath her chest and up towards her fingertips. She could grasp time itself, shape it and make it obey. Byleth exercised that power, toying with it in small doses and feeling it swell across her skin. She needed to harness as many divine pulses as possible to protect her people.

A presence drew her out of her meditation and she opened her eyes. A cautionary instinct, founded on years of survival. Byleth noticed a figure was standing just outside her tent looking as though to enter. As her hand crept to her sword she recognised that imposing silhouette and relaxed. There was no one else at the army that wore that oversized fur cloak and stood like that.

From the looks of it, Dimitri was hesitating right outside, unmoving from his spot as he contemplated something. A hand reached over to lift the flap but then he pulled it back.

“This is stupid,” he muttered, Byleth barely hearing it from the other side. The prince lowered his arm and started to walk away. This wasn’t the first time it happened, the prince hesitating to speak with her or even avoiding her entirely.

_ Was it because of what had happened that night in her room? _

Byleth waited for a moment, then stood up and chased after the prince. She didn’t hide her presence, letting herself make noise with each step as she caught up to him. After all, he said he couldn’t hear her heartbeat or ‘smell’ her, whatever that meant.

Dimitri turned around at her approach and frown. Byleth couldn’t help but frown back. _ Oh, don’t look at me like that. _She was here now, and she wanted to hear what was on his mind. Byleth noted the way the approaching patrol stepped to the side to avoid the two of them, the man crossing his arms as he sighed. Dimitri’s head tilted towards the patrol, regarding them for a moment before turning back to Byleth.

“Forgive me, I didn’t mean to disturb you,” Dimitri said.

_ It’s no problem at all, _ she smiled, then gestured towards her tent. _ Do you want to talk in my tent? _

The prince considered the offer, then started to walk with her back towards the shelter. The two of them entered the dimly lit place together, though the prince stayed close to the exit. Byleth noticed how much he relaxed when it was just the two of them, his hands were no longer twitching and ready to grab for a weapon.

_ What’s- wrong-? _She mouthed.

Dimitri stayed silent, his arms folded tightly against his chest as he kept his gaze on the ground. His fingers started to tap against his bicep, before pulling in a sharp breath.

“Do I frighten you, professor?” he asked, still avoiding eye contact with her.

Yes, he did. For the same reasons as the others, she wasn’t sure. Byleth was glad she concealed the shard of Areadbhar underneath her folded cloak. The professor nodded and the prince’s expression sunk faintly.

“Then that means everyone in this camp fears me,” Dimitri said. “I can smell it every time I walk past, except for you, of course. Why can’t they see that I’m just trying to end the war?”

Byleth cocked her head to the side. This wasn’t the first time he said he couldn’t ‘smell’ her, but there were more pressing things to talk about at the moment. He was off-handedly asking her for advice though there was no easy way for her to convey it. Byleth walked over to a small desk that was set up for her and flipped over a report that had no more use to her. Taking out a quill, she quickly wrote out a question for him to read. She held it up to him, Dimitri squinting to read it from a distance.

“_ 'Why do you think… I scare them?' _” he read out loud. He scoffed, shaking his head, “The soldiers here are cowards. They’ve been running away from the Empire for years and now they’re returning to the fight. I suppose being the one that is leading them back into battle is causing me to seem intimidating.”

Byleth frowned. Not a great start. She put the paper back down, wrote another few sentences, and raised it up again. He read it, then scowled.

“_'Do I consider myself as a good leader' _…? What do you mean?” Dimitri asked.

The professor sighed, writing more for him to read. It took much longer, scribbling out a few sentences that didn’t quite work and tapping her chin as she thought of a way to express her thoughts. She was afraid she might bore Dimitri by having him wait, but he stayed, staring at her quietly as she wrote.

The prince raised his eyebrows when the professor lifted the sheet of paper to him, glad she was finally done. Dimitri narrowed his eyes.

“_ 'Our soldiers are not cowards, nor are they tools for your personal gain. They don’t fear the war. Rather, they fear the feeling of being insignificant and disposable. Or eve- perhaps they are afraid because it isn’t clear what they are fighting for, throwing themselves into danger…' _” Dimitri read. The words had stung him, ready to snap at Byleth though he stopped himself before he did. “Haven’t I been clear so far?” he said, “That we’re doing this to win the war and stop the Empire?”

Byleth didn’t need to think much about what she needed to write next. It was a harsh truth that needed to be said, as a friend and as his professor. She filled out the remaining space of the page and circled it before lifting it towards him. Dimitri read it but didn’t say it out loud, his expression going from annoyance to anger.

_ You’re using the war as an excuse to kill Edelgard for your own gain. If you truly cared about the war you would be retaking Faerghus right now. _

Dimitri breathed heavily, slowly, contemplating the words presented by the professor. “Not you too,” he said, “You’re no better than Gilbert and Rodrigue.”

Something about that accusation burned within Byleth. It was a foreign sensation, yet she let herself fall into it. It crackled at her nerves and boiled her blood. How could the prince say that about the people that cared about him more than they did themselves? How could he say that to _you?_

“Don’t look at me like that,” Dimitri said, “You know Edelgard has to die. She was the _ Flame Emperor. _She_ killed _so many of us after her betrayal. I thought she killed _ you.” _

_ But couldn’t he see that his desire for revenge was blinding him? _

Byleth stepped up to him, calm and slow despite the tempest of thoughts that ripped through her mind. Something flickered in Dimitri’s eye, his rambling stopped and his rage turned into curiosity as the professor stood in front of him.

She raised a slow hand, fingers grasping the fabric of his shirt, and twisted it slowly in her grip.

Byleth yanked Dimitri’s shirt closer to her, the prince bowing at the force. He stared at her, blue eye wide and glowing against her glare. She opened her mouth to speak and tested her voice, a croak escaping from her throat. She tsked. Fine. Not all words will have a sound then.

_ ‘You have to stop this. I know Edelgard’s betrayal hurts, and I know that your past haunts you, but you can’t let your revenge consume you. Don’t listen to those voices in your head’, _ she tapped Dimitri’s forehead, her throat feeling like she was swallowing daggers, ‘ _ Being like Rodrigue and Gilbert isn’t an insult. It’s a compliment of the highest order. Listen to the people who actually care about you. Listen. To me.’ _

She shoved Dimitri away, coughing as she reached for her waterskin. She took a drink of water to help soothe the painful feeling in her throat. The prince stood there, and for the first time in a long time, she could see a hint of remorse in those eyes. Byleth sighed, shaking her head.

_ ‘I think I love you Dimitri, but I can’t commit myself to you if you continue on this path. I can’t follow you to your death,’ _she managed to say before coughing again. Goddess, her throat hurt. She took another drink and, unexpectedly, saw that the prince was no longer remorseful, but shocked.

“W-what did you say?”

The sound of a horn drew both of their attentions. Shouts echoed throughout the camp. The sounds of clashing metal began. It was an ambush.

Byleth reached for her sword. No time to put on her armour. She was lucky she had her boots on at least. Dimitri had already raced outside, barking orders at the men. A series of volleys landed on the army, a few arrows piercing Byleth’s tent. She reached over for the shard of Areadbhar and joined the fray.

Battles in the dark were considered a nightmare. It was hard to know who and where your enemy was. Furthermore, they were at a severe disadvantage. Many men including her were not in peak condition, most tired and unarmed. She pulled a lit torch from the hands of a dead soldier killed by an arrow and dashed into battle. 

“Protect the mages!” Dimitri shouted. Byleth immediately rushed to his position to defend the prince. He stood by a group of mages currently conjuring a barrier to encase the camp as enemy soldiers charged at them. Annette and Mercedes were amongst them.

Dimitri ran towards the approaching hoard of enemy soldiers and tore his spear across the armour of one man. He spun around on his heel, swiftly taking out another but his spear shattered where he was gripping it. Cursing, he knelt down to reach for a fallen man’s weapon and tossed it across the field in such force it knocked an enemy into the air and killed them instantly.

“Ingrid! No!”

The professor spun, turning to see Sylvain holding the female knight in his arms as she took a blow to her chest. Her breaths were heavy and Byleth prepared to call upon Sothis’ power. The red-haired man dragged her towards Mercedes in time, sweat dripping down his and her faces. The white mage broke her formation, the barrier they were concentrating on wavering as she began to heal the wound.

Byleth let go of the power she was about to unleash and covered them, leaping into the fray and standing her ground as she danced through a wave of enemies. She caught Annette’s eye as she sliced down a soldier and the mage pulled her hand away from the barrier. Grunting, she reached out into the air and a ball of fire began to hover over the battlefield, illuminating the professor’s path. The light helped guide her strikes and she fought off two more Empire soldiers before Sylvain and Ingrid returned to formation.

Another wave of arrows rained down on the camp and bounced off the mage’s barrier.

_ Where else was she needed? _

The professor looked around, seeing who needed to be protected. In the distance, she spotted Ashe and Felix teaming up and holding their ground. Byleth gasped as she watched a man with a hefty axe cleave through Ashe’s defence, blade digging into the young man’s armour and burying it into his chest. Felix looked over his shoulder, eyes wide and about to cry out for his fallen friend.

Byleth rewound time, then ran towards a nearby weapon’s rack. She reached for a short bow, notched an arrow and fired it. The arrow struck the enemy that had killed Ashe, giving her student the time to strike back with his sword. He didn’t break concentration and pulled out his bow, taking out a few enemies in the distance. Good. There was always time to thank a comrade after the battle.

A roar shook the professor, and she looked out towards the field of trampled tents and sea of dead men. Dimitri clutched his chest as he coughed on the ground, black liquid spewing from his mouth. His head snapped up as another enemy approached and picked up another weapon just in time to parry the blow. The prince cursed, mouth stained and clothes bloodied as he pushed against the soldier. Byleth recognised the glow of a crest taking effect and Dimitri overpowered the man, forcing him onto the ground and sinking the axe into their head. The prince let go of the shattered wooden handle and coughed again, wiping his mouth.

_ This was what Hanneman was talking about. _

Byleth ran towards him, the shard of Areadbhar with her, and was knocked across the blood-soaked grass as a wind spell ripped into her side. She sat up, looking into the darkness and saw a familiar student staring back at her. A woman with long brown hair in a flowing red robe kept her hand in the air.

“Nothing personal,” Dorothea said as she weaved another spell in the air. Byleth got up, preparing to dodge the next strike but the mage hesitated. “Wh- professor?”

“Dorothea!”

A man with wavy orange hair shoved the songstress aside as he raised his shield, “Fall back!”

“But Ferdi, that’s-!”

Ferdinand charged towards Byleth, heavily armoured with a spear. She tsked as she parried him to the side and rolled away. He was strong, especially with that armour on. He charged again, forcing Byleth back and maneuvering her into a vulnerable position. She tripped on a dead body, falling to the ground and too slow to get back up.

“Because of you, Hubert-!” he called out as he struck. Byleth brought her sword up and blocked the overhead blow. The two struggled for a moment, Ferdinand having the upper hand in the situation. Byleth breathed, feeling the power of her crest surge within her and she stood up, pushing against the knight’s spear. With a final shove, she forced his weapon away so hard that it flew out of his hand.

Byleth was ready for a day like this to happen, looking up at Dorothea. The mage was holding another spell though she did it with fear in her eyes. Ferdinand struggled to get up, wincing from the professor’s blow. The professor heard more groans come from Dimitri and regarded the two ex-students. She gestured for them to leave_. Now. _Byleth grabbed the knight’s arm, shoved him to his feet, and spun around to continue on her path to the prince.

She waited for one tense moment and felt relieved at not being struck by black magic. If Dorothea had attacked, Byleth would’ve rewound time and killed her.

Dimitri couldn’t get up on his feet anymore, limbs shaking when Byleth got to him. He looked at her with pain in his eyes, hand over his chin as a puddle of black collected in his palm.

“What’s happening to me?” he said, a trail of black liquid rolling down the side of his mouth. Byleth reached for the shard of Areadbhar and handed it to him.

The prince recoiled at the sight of it, pulling himself away from it and gasping.

“I changed back for you!” Dimitri said. A wave of fireballs flew by their heads and the two of them ducked. Byleth held the prince down, keeping his head low as he struggled to speak. “I can’t become that thing again. I… I don’t want to hurt you.”

Byleth shook her head, placing the shard on his chest. She reached over to brush her fingers across the black liquid and showed it to Dimitri. He needed to become a demonic beast to feel better, but she didn’t know how to explain it to him without her voice. The prince continued to resist, not realising she was trying to help.

Byleth closed her eyes, thinking of a way she could explain it to him without a voice. Words came at her though it wouldn’t make sense to him. If only they could have a moment where he could read her lips. She needed time. She just needed-

The professor closed her eyes, calling upon the power of the goddess. She tested the flame within her body and it glowed bright, powerful. Byleth grasped Dimitri’s arms tightly as she focused that power, harnessing it and feeling it ripple across her being. The world pulsed around her once, the familiar fracturing of time surrounding her.

Then she did it again, the world cracking a second time, this time bringing the prince along with her.


	14. The Pulse

Byleth and Dimitri felt as though the world was sinking around them before a surge of power swallowed them. Light and darkness inverted, the air shattered like glass and everything stopped. The prince looked around, stunned at the sight. 

The professor was already straining against her power, feeling the pressure around her non-beating heart. Despite the pain, she felt relieved knowing that including Dimitri in her powers had worked, but she needed to be quick.

“What is… Where are we-”

“Dimitri.”

The prince looked at her, stunned at how clear her voice was. Byleth didn’t need to use her body to speak, projecting her words with her mind. This moment was hers, forcing reality to obey her every command. His gaze held a mix of wonder and confusion as he heard her speak. His mouth agape as she introduced him to a power beyond his understanding.

“Your crest is incomplete, and it’s killing you,” Byleth said, “You _ need _ to take back the shard of Areadbhar or let go of the weapon completely.”

The professor frowned, sensing another presence in this space. Coming from the treeline just out of view she heard several voices. Whispering threats. Promising revenge. Telling him to kill. _ Kill them all. _

Dimitri held his head, hands over his ears as he breathed heavily. Were these the voices he hears in his mind? Byleth shook him once, trying to break him out of his panic.

“I’ve tried, but I can’t!” he exclaimed. “The weapon won’t leave my body!”

“Then fuse with it!”

“The voices are so loud when I’m that thing!” he said, his voice cracking, “It’s too much power to control. I don’t know if I can take it.”

“You can! You did before,” Byleth said. Another painful pulse clenched her heart and she hunched over, gasping. She was running out of time. The whispering was getting louder. The air was shaking. The sound of glass echoed around them like it was grinding against one another.

The pain in Byleth's chest was like a clock, ticking at intervals. She let out a cry of agony as the next pulsing came, her fingers clutching Dimitri’s body. In response, the world fractured again, more cracks forming in the space around them.

“Just remember what I said,” Byleth said, feeling the air tugging at them, swirling around them like they were being forced out as unwelcomed guests. “Don’t listen to those voices. Listen to me!”

Inverted darkness began to crumble around them, sifting away and revealing bits of the real world underneath. Reality was closing in on them, ready to expel them back to where they belonged. Dimitri looked at Byleth in awe. Her hair glowed in the darkness, light expelling from her skin as the flames of her power flickered out. An invisible storm whipped around them, sucking the air out of their lungs.

In the last moment, Dimitri sat up and pressed his lips against hers.

“I love you too.”

Byleth felt the grip on the goddess power slip, and time resumed on the battlefield.

The two of them gasped. What felt like an eternity to them wasn’t even a second in this world. Byleth crumpled to the side with no energy left in her body. She couldn’t move, only able to blink as she saw Dimitri stand up, clutching the shard of Areadbhar.

The fragment of the heroes relic began to glow, a faint light that warped into something black and twisted. The shard almost seemed to melt in his hand, fusing with his body as the darkness consumed him. A chill settled within Byleth, the world felt like it was stalling as she watched the swirling energy that hung in the darkness.

A large bestial claw emerged, dirt exploding outwards as it slammed into the ground. The people on the battlefield grew silent as a familiar demonic beast emerged from the depths. A roar was the last thing Byleth remembered hearing before she didn’t have the energy to blink anymore.

\---

The professor awoke and her first breath seemed to trigger every pain in her body. Instinctually, she brought her hand to her face and realised that she was blocking the sun from her eyes. Groaning, she tried to push herself off the ground and failed, falling back down with a yelp.

“Professor!”

A figure ran up to her and she recognised that red hair. Sylvain knelt down, his arm in a sling as he waved over for a white mage. Mercedes answered the call, arriving at the professor’s side with her hands already glowing with magic.

“_ Di-mi-tri-” _Byleth croaked as Mercedes checked over her body. Her chest felt heavy like there was a stone resting within her ribs. The white mage furrowed her brows at the mention of his name and continued to soothe the professor’s aches.

“The prince is fine…” Sylvain said, “But he’s standing out on the fields away from the camp all alone. He’s… well, nobody can call him over.”

“But you shouldn’t worry about that at the moment professor,” Mercedes said, running her hand up towards Byleth’s forehead and working her magic there. “You need your rest.”

_ No. She had to get to him. _

Byleth reached a fragile hand towards the mage, fingers grasping weakly. “P-please-”

Mercedes took her first plead as delirium, so she tried again, forcing her voice out despite the pain. The mage glanced over to Sylvain, then back to the professor as she sighed. “Who can carry her?”

“Don’t look at me,” Sylvain said, gesturing towards his bandaged arm.

“Then allow me to…”

Mercedes and Sylvain looked behind them and both gasped. Mercedes brought her hands to her mouth and Sylvain stood up slowly, cautiously. A third figure approached, tall with dark skin and white hair.

“Dedue… you’re,” Mercedes said as she stepped away from Byleth. Dedue knelt down, carefully moving his arms underneath the professor and lifting her up into the air. He barely struggled at carrying her, standing up and looking at the mage and the red-haired knight. As the man from Duscur walked towards the outskirts of the camp, Sylvain and Mercedes followed initially, though his return drew the attention of the other Blue Lions.

Ashe had a bandage around his torso, a gash on his back perhaps. Annette was fine, though her ends of her robes were singed. Felix was fine, and Ingrid had her arm around his shoulder as she limped.

Together, they moved slowly towards where Dimitri waited, a dark presence in the distance. It was similar to the first time the professor had seen him, curled up and exhausted at the goddess tower. Dried blood clung to his scales and his body shifted heavily with each breath. Byleth could tell Dedue was growing nervous seeing the prince like this, his fingers tensing the closer they got.

Dimitri’s head began to shift, moving out of his arms and looking up towards the group. Everyone stopped in place, unsure of how to act around the demonic beast. Byleth placed a hand on Dedue’s chest. _ Let me down. _

He did so gently, lowering her to the ground so that her feet touched the grass. Her legs shook, the weight in her heart still uncomfortably pressing up against her as she tried to stand. Dedue supported her, waiting for the professor to find her balance before letting go. She thanked him with a small nod, before turning around and making her away towards Dimitri.

It was difficult, much more than she anticipated with her muscles aching and her mind swimming in a haze. Byleth pushed forward regardless, approaching the prince in the field of bloodied grass.

The demonic beast stood up, claws sinking into the dirt as he moved towards the professor as well. His movements were slow, walking up to her like he was being too careful. Byleth smiled when he was within reach, Dimitri going still as she reached out her hand to rest it on his head. Using him as support, she took a few more shaky steps forward and held Dimitri’s head in her arms. She smiled as she felt his scales beneath her fingertips and leaned down to press her head against his. He blew out an exhale, his warm breath brushing against her torso.

Dimitri lifted off the ground, standing on his hind legs as he lifted the professor into a familiar position. Byleth rested against the beast’s chest as he carried her back to camp with the Blue Lions escorting them. He didn’t growl at them as he passed. Instead, he nodded to each one of them before he continued walking.

Byleth placed a hand on Dimitri’s chest. _ That was good. _

_ “You really overdid it this time, didn’t you?” _

Byleth opened her eyes to a familiar dreamscape. A dark space where she spotted a familiar green light. The light glowed brighter and brighter until a girlish figure emerged from it. The professor watched Sothis fly closer to her, though something wasn’t quite right with her. The goddess’ form was fractured, lines of greys running across her face and body.

_ “I saw great potential in you, yet even I did not expect you would be able to wield my power to such an extent. That in itself deserves some praise,” _ Sothis said, her body hovering in the space above Byleth. _ “Just don’t let that boy Dimitri in here. I’m not too fond of guests.” _

Sothis vanished once more, returning Byleth’s consciousness back into reality. She looked up to see that Dimitri had stopped moving, looking around the sky for something that had caught his attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> phew, what a lot. Glad I was able to get all those chapters out, now it's time to take a break before I do it all again


	15. The Research

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *throws confetti in the air* here's a chapter with sexual tension before i properly disappear for the next few days

The Kingdom army was to retreat to Garreg Mach. The ambush had caused too many losses despite winning the battle and it was decided by the prince and his advisors to regroup back to their territory. Though, getting that confirmation was a bit of a hurdle now that Dimitri had returned as a demonic beast. With the help of the professor, they managed to get a close enough estimate on what he wanted.

The moment the professor passed through the gates of the monastery she looked for Hanneman. The researcher expected her arrival and, while they had been marching, had built a crest device at the stables so the prince could be analysed better. There was no possible way for the prince to get onto the second floor after all, though, that meant the horses had to be relocated somewhere else for now.

Hanneman was glad to see Dimitri as a demonic beast, asking him to step on top of the platform as he began to scribble something in his notepad. He made it his utmost top priority to preserve the prince’s life and no longer kept that as a secret. The enemy had seen Dimitri in a fight, there was no point in hiding it anymore. Manuela was there as well after reading the reports of him vomiting black ichor on the battlefield.

“If I’m being honest professor,” Hanneman said softly as they watched Dimitri stand patiently on the device, “I wasn’t expecting you to be this successful in getting him to change back.”

“Are you kidding me, Hanneman? Just look at her,” Manuela gestured to Byleth. The professor frowned, confused and what she meant, “The professor doesn’t even need her voice to let people know what she wants.”

Byleth frowned harder, disagreeing with the physician as she shook her head. The woman laughed then took a step closer to her.

“And how’s my advice been fairing so far?” Manuela whispered, bringing her hand up to hide her mouth as she spoke. “Any luck?”

The professor’s gaze moved towards Dimitri’s position and felt a weight in her chest. Dimitri had kissed her when she stopped time, a gesture reserved for people you were incredibly fond of. If Byleth was being honest, she thought people found her intimidating or suspicious because of how disconnected she was from her emotions. She knew she was respected by some people at the monastery at least, but nothing about being… desirable.

Byleth lips parted at the memory of the kiss, a small part of her hoping she could experience it again. The prince shifted on the spot, sharpened claws trying not to shatter the device below and tail curled tightly against himself. Byleth averted her gaze away and sighed, pressing her lips back together. It seemed like that wouldn’t be the case any time soon.

She shrugged at Manuela who had still been waiting for a response, though the physician saw more than just that. Her eyebrows were raised, silent as she looked between Byleth and the prince, and chose to say nothing. A good decision. The professor was sure that if Dimitri could listen to heartbeats he was able to hear their conversation the entire time.

The device slowed, light fading as the flow of magic stopped. Hanneman took the report and went silent for a moment, calculating his findings as Manuela peered over his shoulder. Byleth approached Dimitri. _ Well done, _ she smiled as she touched his shoulder. The prince responded by closing his eye and bowing his head slightly. _Hang in there, _Byleth though as she rubbed his scales, _I know you're resisting the voices the best you can. _Hanneman hummed from not too far away, catching the professor’s attention.

“I believe,” he started, hand to his chin as he read off his notes, “That the danger lies in activating an incomplete crest. That was what was happening, yes? The crest giving you strength followed by a wave of lethargy?”

Dimitri nodded slowly, glowing eye focused on the crest researcher. Hanneman coughed before he continued reading his conclusion out loud. “Y-You see, your highness, staying in the demonic beast form does guarantee stability if your crests were to activate. B-but if we can find a way to stop your crest from activating while it is incomplete then there should be no increased danger to your physical health.”

“How sure are you about this?” Manuela asked, surprised at the findings. Hanneman adjusted his monocle as he ran through the information one more time, shrugging when he reached the end.

“Quite sure. Of course, the best option would be to separate Dimitri and Areadbhar completely, but if that is not possible at the moment then our next step would be to build a device that could suppress the power of the crests.”

Light began to emit from Dimitri and startled Byleth, flinching away from his bestial form. Hanneman and Manuela gasped, the professor shielding her eyes as she saw hints of Dimitri’s figure began to shrink. A few moments later, she saw the prince kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily as he held the shard of Areadbhar in his hand.

Byleth noticed how the shard looked a bit bigger than last time, and there were fewer scales on the prince’s naked body. Manuela let out a surprised noise as she turned around from the sudden immodesty while Hanneman remained stunned at the sudden transformation.

“Then get to making that device,” Dimitri said, a puff of light escaping his lips. The prince dropped the shard to the ground, catching his breath before looking towards the professor.

Byleth inhaled sharply, his gaze evoking some sort of unexpected physical reaction from her. Whatever she felt for Dimitri had amplified significantly when she saw him as a human again, a wave of emotion striking her as she returned a breathless stare. Something had been kindling after he had admitted that he loved her, continuing to grow while she wasn’t able to do anything after the confession.

But now…

Dimitri looked just as enamoured as her, struggling to look anywhere else as a faint blush formed across his cheeks. He was no longer a danger to be around, a distance that the two of them wordlessly enforced beginning to evaporate. This moment resembled the time she ordered reality to stop for them. It felt like it was only the two of them in this world.

Byleth wanted this man. What for, she wasn’t sure.

Hanneman’s cough brought them out of their trance and the professor snapped herself out of it. She pulled her coat off her shoulders and tossed it towards Dimitri, still breathless from the experience. The moment had been so intense that Byleth felt uncomfortable easing out of her feelings. It was something she would need some time to get used to, though she wasn’t sure if that was possible.

_ Was this what those women felt in those novels all the time? How exhausting, _Byleth though, sighing.

The professor noticed the prince had nearly growled at the researcher out of instinct, his teeth barring but forced his temper away last minute as he pressed his lips together. There was enough of that while he was a demonic beast. He pulled Byleth’s cloak over his crotch as Manuela called for a nearby guard to fetch clothes for the prince _ please and hurry. _

“I uh… “ Dimitri said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, “Didn’t mean to surprise you with my sudden transformation. I was just eager to get out of that body.”

_ I understand. _ Byleth nodded and smiled, crouching down next to the prince. _ Are- you- feeling- fine-? _

Dimitri winced, tilting his head to the side as he stretched out his body. He raised his arm to inspect the scales again, claws still present on his fingertips. “I think so… I’d wager the more I practised the better control I’ll have, though it’s not the safest thing to master.”

Byleth chuckled. _ Suppose not. _Dimitri blinked, then averted his eyes to the ground.

“Goddess…” he muttered underneath his breath, brows furrowed as he closed his eyes.

When his clothes finally arrived, the prince put them on immediately. Trousers first, of course, followed by the shirt. He was pleased to see that they finally gave him something less expensive and having no need to button the front. He pulled it over his torso and returned Byleth’s cloak to her. No eyepatch was brought, but the prince didn’t mind keeping his scarred eye closed.

“That’s much better,” Manuela said, shaking her head. Hanneman shrugged, agreeing.

The prince stood up slowly, Byleth helping him get on his feet. He was getting used to his body again and she noticed he was adapting much quicker than last time. He exhaled, giving the professor a small nod of thanks before glancing towards the crest researcher.

Dimitri followed Hanneman to his lab to get started on that device. While the two men were walking away, that was when Manuela finally said something. It wasn’t as though Byleth and Dimitri were forbidden to act on their feelings, but it didn’t help that he was the sole heir to the Kingdom and she was just… an ex-mercenary-

Byleth’s speculations on what Manuela thought of the two of them vanished when she placed her hand gently on the professor’s shoulder.

“You better put those books I gave you to good use.”

Somehow, those words from Manuela was enough to make her blush again.

In the distance, Byleth spotted the prince tripping before he turned the corner into the main hall.


	16. The Garden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are seriously spoiling me with all the comments and I'm really happy to hear that you are enjoying the story :)
> 
> I'm not sure if I can keep up with the mass chapter updates because energy and life stuff, but I plan to do my best and finish this fic (but also why did I start another long ass fic I brought this on myself hahaha)

Dimitri had been with Hanneman all day trying to figure out the crest suppression device. While they were dealing with the intricacies of creating something safe for the prince to use, Byleth was called to take Dimitri's place in the next war council. Despite being a professor at Garreg Mach, she barely knew anything about politics. Frankly, she lived outside the law far longer than her time teaching here and didn’t develop much interest in it. Even now, she felt lost in the tangle of discussions on wondering where to send their army next and which parts of the continent would give them an advantage.

Regardless, she sat at a table amongst the generals and advisors trying to glean as much understanding from the current situation. Gilbert and Rodrigue helmed the discussions on what to do next, tallying up their losses and calculating where to deploy next. There was an unnerving sort of exhaustion that plagued the people here, most half-awake and beaten down after, what Byleth assumed, was from several defeats.

Dimitri probably didn’t help with his insistence on attacking the Empire head-on.

The professor spent her time quiet in her chair, unwilling to speak up about a topic she was unfamiliar with. 

During the meeting, there was a knock on the door and a messenger approached, whispering something to Gilbert and passing a note to him. The old knight eyes widened, then thanked the messenger before returning to address the council.

“It seems that our scouts have news on Seteth and Flayn’s location,” Gilbert said. It caught Byleth’s attention more than anything in this meeting. Gilbert passed the note to Rodrigue who fell into thought, tapping his arm as he read. “From the information they’ve gathered, the two prisoners are being prepared to be transported to another location.”

“What for?” a woman in robes asked.

“We don’t know,” Gilbert said.

“We can barely spare any spies to attempt a rescue,” Rodrigue sighed, setting down the note, “Our next goal is to retake Faerghus, only then will we have the resources to invade Empire territory again.”

“Even then, our spies can’t guarantee a successful mission,” one of the advisors said.

And the conversation seemed to just… move on. Byleth frowned, then stood up and raised her hand to draw attention to herself. The people of the council turned to look at her, surprised to see the stoic professor attempt to have some input on the current situation. She walked up to the note left behind by Gilbert and pointed at it.

_ Please,  _ she tried to convey.  _ We can save them. _

The council expected a voice when there was none and Byleth could sense the stares she was drawing. She was out of place and everybody here knew it.

“Professor,” Gilbert said, gently motioning for her to sit down. “We… The war is currently at a sensitive state. As we said, there’s nothing we can spare to save them at the moment. I promise that once we retake Faerghus we will send a group to rescue them.” The elderly knight was kind and she could sense his genuine sympathy, but that didn’t mean much to the professor. It wasn’t enough to mask her desire to act. To reunite Garreg Mach and bring its people back into the hands of safety.

The professor feared what kind of treatment the two of them were currently enduring and it made her plea more desperate than rational.

Byleth wasn’t sure if her mercenary upbringing would be her downfall. Perhaps it had given her a narrow-minded view of the world that made her disagree with everyone in this room. Byleth's importance had been forced onto her since the moment she stepped into this place, labelled a professor and the goddess’ chosen by Lady Rhea. Yet, it didn’t feel like she had any say at all. A trophy of sorts. Left to be admired and ignored.

Byleth kept the note and listened to the rest of the meeting quietly.

\---

The war meeting was disbanded and the professor moved towards Hanneman’s office. She slowed when she heard voices and felt into silent steps as she approached. There was no reason for her to do this. Garreg Mach was safe, but, when she realised who Dimitri was talking to it felt rude to interrupt them.

“-thought you died after I had saved you,” Dedue said, his voice sombre.

“It… well. It certainly felt that way when you threw your life away for my sake,” Dimitri said.

The two men went silent, nobody moved. Just a moment of reality catching up to them. Byleth stilled and closed her eyes. She was glad to see the two of them together again, the Blue Lions were starting to feel complete once more.

"While I was hiding in empire territory, I've heard the rumours," Dedue said.

"What? That I was dead?" Dimitri asked.

"Dead… then resurrected as a demonic beast."

Dimitri chuckled faintly, "Sounds correct to me."

“But why?” Dedue said, his words laced with confusion, unlike his usual calm. Dimitri stalled for a moment, then inhaled slowly.

“What else could I do?” the prince said. “I was alone in the world. Garreg Mach was gone. You were gone. The professor disappeared-” Byleth could hear his breaths going heavy, “How could I defeat Edelgard as one man? While she had her armies I had nothing! Left alone to deal-!”

There was a breathless moment, a tension that even Byleth could sense without seeing the conversation. Dimitri grunted, then sighed.

“Forgive me, this temper is hard to control sometimes. I wish the professor was here to calm me.”

Byleth’s eyes flickered.

“I can go get her if it-“

“No, Dedue. It’s fine. I can’t force my burdens on her all the time.” There was a hum from the Duscur warrior before the prince continued. “I was so blinded by my revenge that I didn’t consider the possibility that maybe I wasn’t alone. I… regret it now that I might’ve thrown my life away because of it.”

“Professor Hanneman seems to be trying to prevent that,” Dedue said, followed by a faint sound of him tapping on something. Dimitri chuckled again.

“Like a dog on a leash. Can’t say I like the feeling.” The conversation paused again, the two men quietly amused by whatever it was Byleth hadn’t seen yet. “I’m glad that you’re safe, Dedue.”

Byleth felt as though she was beginning to overstay her welcome as the two of them began to talk about the past five years. She couldn’t help but smile as she walked away, thinking about how Dimitri’s life was looking up after five years of suffering.

\---

The professor retreated to her room and pulled out a map. She spread it out across her floor and pinned the corner with a few other books. Finally, she took the note from the war meeting and began to trace the path the scouts took, where the information was discovered, and the location of Seteth and Flayn.

It was the beginning of a puzzle. Where was the best place to intercept their transportation and what was the quickest way to get there first? Byleth stood up and pulled out miscellaneous items. An empty ink vial, a cork, a button, a screw- she placed them on the map then started to measure out the distances.

Byleth was heavily considering going on this mission alone. If she was given enough time she could set traps and sabotage them on the road.

And so she fell into a rhythm, a beat of urgency and stillness she needed to harness to achieve a rational mind. She began to pull out more reports, more books- information about the land and her eventual battlefield. Too sparse of a plain there, too long of a trip to intercept them here. She shifted the map when the light from her window pulled away, the sun being the first to retire while Byleth continued to plan.

There was a small joy she found in such an intense moment of focus. While she leaned over the map, thinking through scenarios in her head, she felt like the goddess herself. Byleth played out her plans in her mind and watched them from above, vividly imagining the way people moved, how they would react, what  _ if  _ they reacted that way.

It hadn't crossed her mind until much later if she should let anyone know, regardless of whether or not they agreed with her.

Byleth couldn't explain the satisfaction she felt once she completed the last piece of the puzzle. The professor stood back, her body sore for being hunched for so long, and played the scenario in her mind again. Soldiers moved and she acted. Then those actions split on the different possibilities of how they would react. Byleth smiled. She had something solid to work with.

Once she fell out of her focus, her stomach rumbled and her body fully caught up to her. Byleth kept some fruit in her room for moments like this and she took a bite out of an apple as she stepped out of her room. She craved to move around and walked towards the garden situated on the same floor as her office.

The entrance to the Star Terrace faced Lady Rhea’s room. It must be nice to have such a quiet place so close by to clear your mind. Byleth had something similar as a mercenary, though much less manicured. Jeralt would let her wander into the forests to think before she returned a few hours later.

The professor sat on the ground, back against a wall as she took another bite out of her fruit. She felt the cool breeze against her skin which had warmed too much for being inside for too long. Byleth stared up to the starry skies, the light from the monastery below bleeding into the fringes of her vision. Emotion was stirring in her once more, a feeling of nostalgia or melancholy.

The plan she had been working on for the past few hours suddenly felt like a waste. She had responsibilities here and it would be foolish to risk her life to accomplish a selfish mission. Byleth struggled to think of the bigger picture. What the war council decided was sound, but so was her need to save her allies.

She sighed, taking the final bite out of her apple before tossing it into a nearby bush, and then realising it wasn’t a forest and fished it back out of the leaves.

Byleth heard sounds of running growing louder as she stepped out of the garden. A messenger?

The professor stood up and stepped away from the bush. When she peered up to see who it was she was greeted with Dimitri, panting heavily, eyes wide, and a sense of fear that faded when he spotted her. Byleth waved a nonchalant hello, though she wasn’t sure why the prince was so worried. Had she done something wrong?

She noticed that Dimitri had a strange sort of harness over his shirtless body. A metal device with a glowing sigil pressed against his form tightly. It hovered over where his heart would be as leather straps wrapped around his torso held it in place.

Dimitri’s heavy cloak shifted in the wind as he took another nervous step towards her, mouth slightly agasp.

“I… I thought you had left already.”

_ Left?  _ Byleth tilted her head to the side, unsure of what he meant.

“The map in your office. I was looking for you and I saw it,” Dimitri said, walking slowly up to her. Byleth mouthed a sound, realising what the prince was worried about. He ran his fingers through his hair as relief started to replace his worries, device gleaming on his chest, “What were Rodrigue and Gilbert thinking? Sending you on a solo mission like that.”

Byleth shook her head and the prince frowned. She realised how difficult it would be to explain that she had planned to go against the war council’s decision. Her general thoughts on topics she could convey, but the intricacies of planning and debates were more complicated. She ran her fingers against her throat. Byleth was quiet by nature but she found herself missing her voice more than she thought.

Byleth led Dimitri back to her office. It was slow to walk through what she learned in the meeting and her desire to save Seteth and Flayn. The prince was patient with her but both of them could feel the intrusive barrier of her inability to speak.

Dimitri interrupted her when she lifted the scout’s report to him by approaching her. He lowered the professor’s arm gently, careful to not pierce her skin with his claws and stared at the black scar across her neck.

“This,” he said, as he lifted a thumb to gently run it against the injury, “This was my fault.”

_ No. It wasn’t.  _ Byleth shook her head but Dimitri insisted.

“I didn’t realise the price other people had to pay for my risks. I saw that too late. I should’ve…” he trailed off, unsure of how to complete that sentiment. The prince’s eye met Byleth’s. He wasn’t afraid to let his true feelings show around her, not afraid to have his honesty be exploited as a weakness. “You don’t want Seteth and Flayn to go through what happened with you. What I had put you through, is that right?”

_ Not that last part.  _ But she saw the genuine regret in those eyes. A man bearing the burden of things out of his control. The professor  _ chose _ to join the fight, and it was  _ her _ oversight of not realising her value in the war that led to her capture. Byleth reached to grasp his hand and pulled him into a hug. It was uncomfortable with the device in the way but it was beside the point.

“I can’t lose you,” Dimitri murmured, “I know you’re strong but… please stay.”

Those words tore at Byleth. Yet another path added to the crossroads, unsure of which way would be the right way to go. The professor couldn’t answer the prince’s plea. Not right now. She pulled away from the hug, her mind cloudy from a long day of strategising and battling against her inner conflict.

Dimitri could see the tiredness in her eyes, the way her shoulder slumped and her head hung- the prince lowered his gaze. “I should leave you alone to let you think about it.”

Dimitri cleared his throat and prepared to leave. What he had suggested was what Byleth didn’t want to do. She was tired of thinking. Thinking about what to do and what was the best thing to do, and what are the potential consequences of the aftermath. She wished she could just use the goddess’ power to stall time so she could take a breath.

But what else could she think about in the meantime? She watched the prince as he turned towards the exit. Strangely, she thought of those times wandering the land with Dimitri and found them much simpler in practice. It was easy to only need to care about one person compared to the lives of thousands. Byleth reached forward to stop the prince.

_ I- don’t- want- to- be- alone-,  _ she mouthed, then tugged Dimitri towards her bed. It would be like what it used to be. Just the two of them huddled against the world together. He looked at her, not surprised by her offer, but rather he indulged in it as much as she was.

Dimitri stripped off his fur cloak, the heavy fabric crumpling onto the ground as Byleth extinguished the candle in her room and slid into the covers of her bed. The prince followed soon after and sighed as he wrapped his arms around her waist. The device pressed up against her back uncomfortably and Dimitri grunted.

“Sorry…” he muttered as the two of them shifted. Dimitri laid on his back as Byleth settled with being huddled against his side. That was better.


	17. The Plan

Byleth woke up to the feeling of Dimitri shifting beneath her. The sun hadn’t fully risen, the room encased in dim light. The prince hadn’t realised the professor was awake as he carefully slipped out of bed, doing his best not to disturb her. He walked over towards the map and notes that were still left behind on the ground and stared at it. There was a small hum that came from the prince. He looked impressed by the strategy Byleth had outlined.

He picked up the note detailing the information on Seteth and Flayn and his cloak before he strode out of her room and closed the door behind him. Byleth couldn’t help but feel empty after his departure, but there was something about the way Dimitri looked that held some earnest determination she didn’t want to interrupt. She returned to sleep, not ready to face the day just yet.

\---

Byleth was eating at the dining hall surrounded by off duty soldiers. It had been a few days since she and Dimitri had slept together, the prince returning to Hanneman to refine the device. Apparently, the prince wasn’t supposed to leave the crest researcher’s office in the first place. It just so happened that his need to check on Byleth spiralled into him disappearing for too long.

There were no duties assigned to her in the morning and her presence wasn’t required to be anywhere at the moment. She shovelled spoonfuls of warm stew into her mouth and the taste delighted her. 

“It’s nice to have Dedue back, isn’t it?” Byleth turned to see Mercedes take the seat in front of her, smiling as she put her own tray of food down. She looked as cheery as ever, her smile infectious as the professor found herself pleased at the company. “I missed his cooking quite a bit.”

Byleth nodded. The mention of Dedue reminded her that she hadn’t visited the greenhouse in a while. Perhaps she would visit the gardeners later in the afternoon and lend a helping hand.

_ But did she even have an afternoon to spare? _

In the back of her mind, Byleth felt the pressure of sneaking out of Garreg Mach soon. The report didn’t give any specific dates on when Seteth and Flayn were going to be transported. If she went now she could just camp out in the forest for a few days.

The professor sensed Mercedes glancing at her and she looked up, meeting the woman’s eye. Byleth had a feeling she had already sensed her troubles, as well as her reluctance to talk about it. It didn’t seem to bother the kind-hearted mage at all, and Mercedes returned to her stew.

“Oh! Has your voice been getting better?” Mercedes asked innocently. Byleth shrugged.

“_ N-not quite, _” she tried to say. There was an extremely hoarse quality to her voice, followed by wheezes of wasted air. It wasn’t the most pleasant thing to hear. Almost eerie. The thought of being unable to participate in choir practice was a bit upsetting, but it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Mercedes’ smile wavered then something lit up in her eyes.

“There’s something I’d like to try. Could you join me in the church?” she asked. Byleth curiously agreed. The two women finished up their meals, passed by Dedue who still worked in the kitchen and thanked him, before crossing the grand stone bridge.

\---

Mercedes and Byleth sat next to each other on one of the wooden pews. The church repair had been going well so far, and the majority of the floor has been patched over only leaving small holes that have been marked. Ashe and Annette happened to be praying during that time and waved to them in the distance before returning to their business.

People started to gather and Byleth looked around to the people taking their places. Choir practice was about to begin and the professor suddenly felt out of place.

“Don’t worry professor. Nobody will be judging you here,” Mercedes said.

_ But I can’t sing, _Byleth frowned, shaking her head. The mage didn’t look worried at all, and even though they sat in the far corner of the chamber something was harrowing about drawing the wrong kind of attention to herself.

“Just trust me,” Mercedes said, smiling. She reached forward, hovering her fingers by Byleth’s neck. “May I?”

Byleth nodded but didn’t conceal her scepticism. Healing magic did help with the pain but other than that it was useless. She also didn’t believe white magic cast in a holy church would amplify its power either. That didn’t seem to bother Mercedes as magic began to glow on the tips of her fingers, a soft green light that poured into Byleth’s wound.

People began to sing and Mercedes did too. A familiar hymn that was popular amongst the people of Garreg Mach. Byleth had performed it several times in the past that she remembered the song by heart. Mercedes was showing incredible control, weaving the spell’s chant with the music. The green light pulsed, but it was steady and the mage maintained it well.

So Byleth tried to sing.

The spell repaired the pain the moment her voice passed her lips. The initial expectation of feeling of agony made her hesitate, but then relaxed when she felt none. Byleth looked around and nobody seemed to be paying attention to her, but even then Mercedes shook her head and redirected the professor’s attention to her.

The mage’s healing spell flickered more drastically the harder it worked, Byleth starting to sing again. There was nothing pleasant about her voice but it was drowned out by Mercedes and the choir around her. It did feel like the way it used to be, regardless of whether or not Byleth was contributing to the song.

Byleth missed it. She missed being able to sing. Amongst all the fighting and discussions and survival, it was something that gave her peace. It was rare in a time of war to let yourself focus on something idyllic. So she sang louder, Mercedes barely wavering and her smile growing the more the professor let herself go. The glow of the magic swelled to match the pain she should be feeling, and for a moment Byleth forgot she had lost her voice in the first place. It was liberating being able to do something so simple as singing. No. It wasn’t simple. Byleth shouldn’t be able to sing in the first place. This was a victory due to the fact she was achieving the impossible, and she needed it after enduring defeat after defeat.

The song was in its final stanza and Byleth opened her eyes she didn’t realise she had closed. She saw Mercedes with a small furrow in her brow, a shaky smile as a bead of sweat began to trickle down her forehead. The professor reached up for the mage’s hand and grasped it, ending the spell for her. Byleth felt strange. She felt happy but incredibly sad at the same time. She was grateful Mercedes had given her the opportunity, but otherwise, it didn’t change the presence of the injury. The mage made her realise how much she missed singing, and now she had to bear the burden of knowing she couldn’t do it without the aid of another.

The song ended with Byleth hugging Mercedes, a gesture of gratitude. She didn’t plan to let Mercedes strain herself again. It was too much effort just for the professor to feel a moment of peace.

Mercedes hugged her back, then was surprised by something she spotted at the corner of her eye. Byleth followed her reaction to see Dimitri waiting patiently by the doors for the choir to end.

The prince looked as though he was the pure definition of being enchanted. Had he listened to Byleth’s attempt at singing? She waved to him which helped him snap out of his trance before clearing his throat and returning to a dignified posture. The people around him still kept their distance as he approached, some of the priests getting nervous around the half-demonic prince.

Mercedes patted Byleth on the shoulder. “I’m feeling a bit dizzy after that. You seem to be busy so I’ll be seeing you,” she said, slowly standing up and making her way to Annette who looked amazed at her best friend’s feat. The two of them and Ashe began to chatter quietly as they helped escort Mercedes out of the church as Byleth waved them farewell.

The professor moved out of the pew to approach the prince, rubbing her throat after her flawed performance with it. The device strapped to the prince’s chest looked less clunky and more refined. He was able to wear a shirt over it now, though from the way the fabric stretched around the metal it still looked rather uncomfortable to wear. Dimitri reached into his coat and pulled out a note for her to read.

“An updated report, though I don’t think we should discuss this here,” Dimitri said, leaning down and keeping his voice low. Byleth skimmed the first few lines of the report and then looked up at the prince, surprised. Attached was a letter from Dorothea.

\---

An urgent meeting was called but the council only consisted of Byleth, Dimitri, Rodrigue and Gilbert. Hanneman was surprisingly called to sit in as well, though his purpose was made clear once Dorothea’s letter was read out loud in the room.

_ Dimitri. _

_ As much as we are on opposing sides, I can’t ignore the fact you spared out lives during the Empire ambush a while ago. Ferdinand and I were sure that we were dead when we saw you transform into that beast. _

_ To be honest, I was glad that you took the risk to ask the enemy a question. Consider this repayment for Ferdi’s and my life. _

_ As much as I respect and serve Edelgard, she is using Seteth and Flayn’s blood to create an army of demonic beasts. Lin mentioned it was something about their crests creating an even more powerful variant. It’s terrible and I hate knowing that they’re currently going through this sort of torture. So much blood has already been drawn from them that they can barely move. _

_ I don’t know why Edelgard decided to do this sort of thing and she refuses to speak about it. Please, save Seteth and Flayn from her. _

_ Dorothea. _

_ P.S. Please destroy this letter. I fear what Edie might do to me if she found out I gave this information to you. _

Dimitri lowered the letter, looked amongst the council, and tossed it into the fireplace nearby. It crackled in response, embers flickering in erratic streams before fading.

“This is worse than I thought,” Gilbert said.

“I know, and that is why we need to save them,” Dimitri said. He glanced over towards Byleth with a knowing sort of look. The professor couldn’t hide her appreciation.

It might not be in her ability to see the bigger picture, but that sort of thing was something Dimitri was trained to do. He was a prince, soon to be king, and he knew what it took to convince the war council the importance of what Byleth wanted to achieve. However, neither of them would’ve expected the situation to be _ this _serious.

“We need to rescue Seteth and Flayn to prevent them from creating more of these demonic beasts, then?” Rodrigue said.

“We must,” Hanneman said. The crest researcher’s brow was heavily knitted. He was pale with dread. It must be hard to learn how easily his passion could be abused like this. Dimitri pulled out a map and laid it across the war table, pointing towards where Seteth and Flayn were currently being held.

“Professor?” Dimitri looked up, “May I explain your strategy for you? What you had planned I found was quite effective.”

Byleth nodded, smiling as Dimitri placed markers down. She might not have a voice, but her contributions were loud and clear as the prince began to explain to the rest of the group. It was much better with him. The prince understood the professor well, and with his help, Byleth didn’t feel as much of an interruption and more like an active member for this meeting.

The only issue was this mission was no longer a solo endeavour. The war council worked together, deciding where it would be best to deploy the Blue Lions.


	18. The Armour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whelp, this is a (mild) smut chapter, and it took me too long to write because i found it challenging. anyway, hope you guys like it, i tried haha

Byleth stripped down to her underwear and tested her new set of armour. She only had the light from the lanterns to illuminate her appearance in the dark. To be honest, she had been putting this off because she saw no reason to. Her current set of armour was fine enough already. However, this set had been uncovered recently by the priests and they insisted that it was to be worn by the Goddess’ chosen.

It was more robe-like than her standard plate, something akin to what a mage would wear. The professor was a mage, she just didn’t have the voice to cast any magic. She threw the cape on and stared at the mirror that was left in her room. The white exterior of the fabric matched well with the golden pieces that framed her shoulder and neck, and the purple underside contrasted well with the white and black of her attire underneath. It was fashionable, for certain. To complete the set she slipped the headpiece on, feeling the weight of the metal press down on her skull.

Byleth looked at the mirror once more, still at the sight of herself.

She was no goddess.

Sothis might be a part of the professor. It was clear from her green hair and eyes, but it didn’t _feel_ like her. The armour was practical, yes, but it was more flashy than what Byleth would’ve liked. She was still a mercenary by heart. An imposter in the shoes of a role she didn’t fully understand.

_ Sorry, Sothis. _

Byleth started to take off the armour. She would wear it to battle, but she would not acknowledge that it was who she was.

There was a knock on her door and Byleth froze, mid-way through taking off the robe and her top half exposed.

“Professor? It’s me,” Dimitri said from the other side. Byleth raised a brow and stripped quicker, kicking the goddess’ armour aside then cringing. Panicked, she picked it up and dusted off the fabric. But she was going to wear this to battle anyway. Getting it dirty wouldn’t offend the nuns at Garreg Mach, would it? “Professor?”

Byleth couldn’t say anything as the prince opened the door slightly to peer in. The professor reached her old cloak just in time to wrap her topless self up before Dimitri saw. He put together the pieces quickly with the scattered clothes and the frazzled professor and backed out without a word.

Byleth wasn’t in an immodest state anymore with her cloak wrapped around her (though she always preferred to wear it open) and opened the door to see a blushing prince standing outside. He had his mop of golden blonde hair tied up which was a first, followed by a new set of armour she had never seen before. The dark plate was nice but it didn’t entirely cover his body. She could tell from the design it was made to be salvageable if say, the wearer turned into a demonic beast.

The main impractical thing at the moment was also how he had no breastplate. It was probably a good thing to leave Hanneman’s device uncovered, but Byleth doubted they could design a plate that would fit over it safely in time.

Dimitri looked at her, speechless at his actions. Anyone would, but this man had also confessed his love for her. Naturally, Byleth guessed Dimitri would be curious what she looked like naked as per human nature. Fortunately for her, she already had that part of her curiosity sated in the past.

Oddly, Byleth found it charming to see the prince flustered like this. She thought she would find this sort of behaviour as a sign of weakness. Instead, she saw it as respect from Dimitri. Despite his feelings, he still knew it was rude and felt ashamed. What a gentleman.

Byleth gestured for him to come in and _it’s fine don’t worry. _The prince timidly entered, fidgeting nervously for a moment before clearing his throat and forcing himself to relax. He looked towards the robes on the grounds and a faint smile curled on his lips.

“I’m guessing you didn’t like your new uniform either?” Dimitri said, adjusting the straps on his gauntlets. Byleth could just by looking at the way the plates shifted that it was a size too big, usually the case with experimental armour. Better than having your skin shredded by badly layered plates. “Anyway, I just wanted to check on you before the Blue Lions are deployed.”

She shrugged. Only deploying the Blue Lions meant that she would have an easier time spotting something going wrong. Furthermore, executing the plan with their positioning in mind meant Byleth would know where to look.

Dimitri nodded at the professor’s indifferent reaction. It was one of those things where if she didn’t worry about it, neither should he. Byleth was aware of how emotions had the potential to hinder an army, the fear of one sparking fears in another. The prince glanced back down towards the enlightened robes on the ground, a mess of white and gold, and his eyes narrowed.

“Was I the first to witness… your power?” he asked, “What you did on the battlefield, where everything just stood still?”

Byleth nodded. She could barely remember how she pulled it off. It even drew out Sothis for a small moment. It was the obvious thing not to tell anyone about her powers, even to her father or Lady Rhea. If the enemy found out they could plan around it, set a row of ambushes until they tired her out. Byleth expressed the need for secrecy by pressing her finger against her lips.

“Don’t worry. I haven’t told anyone,” the prince said. Byleth smiled. Good. “But I- uh, I have to say that my belief in the goddess has never been stronger. To think to have you on our side, it truly is a blessing.”

Byleth nodded, accepting the compliment. She remembered another thing that happened and crossed her arms, smirking in a sort of teasing manner. _ You kissed me as well. _

Dimitri seemed to have caught on to what she was alluding to and the blushing returned. He was so bold when he decided to confess while she held reality in the palm of her hands. He didn’t seem to mind when they slept in the same bed. Why was he so hesitant now?

Byleth tapped her lips, before mouthing the words_ why- are- you- still- nervous? _

Dimitri smiled, though with the way his brows knitted and his gaze kept darting around the place she could tell he was reluctant to admit it. There was a silent moment between the two before the prince gave in, sighing deeply and dropping his shoulders.

“I’m… new to this sort of thing myself, but something about this situation… well.”

_ Well? _Byleth cocked her head to the side. Dimitri raised a hand to his mouth, something about what she did drawing a reaction out of him.

“There you go again,” he chuckled, almost amused by the whole situation. Byleth was still confused, then Dimitri started to undo the straps of his gauntlet. “Do you have any idea how adorable you are?”

Byleth was prepared to answer in her nonchalant way but felt her breath taken away as Dimitri took a step forward, eyes fixated on her as the first gauntlet dropped to the ground. There was something predatory about his gaze, a deep-seated desire for _her. _It wasn’t like Byleth to submit, to feel like she wasn’t in control, but that instinct rolled away the closer Dimitri got. Did she want this?

Warmth was pooling in Byleth’s body as Dimitri undid the other gauntlet. He stood in front of her now, reaching forward to lift her chin. The prince directed her attention to his face and only his face, a soft shade of red still present across his cheeks. The colour of his skin contrasted the vibrant blue of his eyes and she found herself lost in him. Her eyes traced the lines of his jaw and his cheekbones like a frame to a painting, unable to look away. He smiled, then leaned forward to kiss her.

Something about having their lips press together made Byleth’s skin tingle. A pleasant sensation, though overwhelming. The longer he drew her in the stronger that feeling got. Her body relaxed, her hands moving to push gently against the prince even though she didn’t want it to stop. She felt the need to hold onto some, to tether before she fell apart. Dimitri pulled away from the kiss and Byleth gasped at the withdrawal.

Dimitri was right. There was something about this moment this situation that felt different. There was no urgency of battle or exhaustion or conflict. Just… them. Finally together after wading through several invisible barriers.

Byleth had subconsciously felt around for the hardened muscles of his body without realising. The prince glanced down and smirked at the sight of the professor exploring him and lowered his arms.

“Help me with the rest of this armour, professor?” Dimitri asked. He tried to say it playfully, though there was still that innocence he tried to conceal. He was still the earnest student she remembered him to be.

Byleth reached for the straps around his biceps and undid the clasps, taking off one pauldron and lowering it to the ground. Dimitri’s eye didn’t leave her as she worked on the second one, his stare burning through the professor and setting her on fire. She couldn't help but speculate what he was thinking about beneath his beautiful blue eye as she undid the second pauldron.

The shirt came next, and Byleth reached forward to tug at the bottom of his shirt. The moment her warm fingers touched his skin beneath the fabric, Dimitri inhaled sharply, his body tensing at the feeling. Byleth continued regardless, digging her fingers underneath before pulling the shirt over the prince’s head. He was much taller than she was and he helped her, the fabric joining the pieces of armour on the ground.

Byleth hadn’t seen much artwork, but Dimitri’s body was the type she would always see portrayed, besides the scales of course. Years of training how to fight and the mastery of his abilities gave him a strong, muscled form. Interrupting the lines of his torso was the crest device strapped on his chest. She ignored it, continuing her exploration up his across his pectorals and back down to his stomach. She wasn’t interested in the monster being harnessed underneath. She wanted _him. _

Dimitri looked like he was under severe torment, his eyes half-lidded and his breath continuously hitching. He shivered against the sensation of being touched and could barely control the reactions that were forced from his body. He was loving each moment from his gaze to the way he bit his lip.

Though, he looked like he was holding back too much, fingers twitching and standing too still. A small growl reverberated through his chest as Byleth’s hands worked their way up to his neck. She looked up at him, standing on her toes as she swirled her thumb across the prince’s heated cheeks.

Byleth took a step forward to reach the tallet man and her thigh unintentially rubbed against something hard between the prince’s legs. He shivered, a hiss escaping his lips. She was worried for a second, thinking she had hurt him but Dimitri simply chuckled. He sighed as he leaned forward for another kiss, guiding her towards her bed as their mouths tangled. Byleth gave a small yelp as she felt the edge of her bed hit the back of her leg. She fell back and her cloak slipped open.

The prince froze when he saw her in her underwear. He took in every inch of her, from the curve of her hips to the fullness of her breasts. Byleth smiled. She didn't expect herself to enjoy being gawked at like this. But coming from Dimitri? It felt spectacular.

The bed whined as Dimitri tried to join her on it, cursing when he realised his legs were still armoured. He reached down and started undoing the straps, nearly ripping them apart by the way his arms tensed.

“I don’t know what it is,” he said as the first strap came undone, “But your presence calms my emotions and drive me wild at the same time. Every time I look at you and see your smile, I just…” The first plate fell away, hitting the floor with a heavy thud. “When you disappeared all those years ago, I wished I could’ve said something sooner.” He undid the second plate, clawed fingers struggling to undo the strap. “I couldn’t do anything then. I was your student, and you were my teacher. The monastery would’ve looked down on me by having such a childish desire. But now…” he hissed, then tore the rest of the armour off his body. Metal creaked, then snapped as the leather straps gave way. He smiled, then looked towards Byleth, “I've grown in the past five years.”

Byleth hadn’t moved, drawn in by his words as he crawled on top of her. Heat radiated from his exposed chest and set her on fire as he lowered himself to press his nose against the nape of her neck. She wordlessly moaned, a small noise escaping through closed lips as he started a trail of kisses. His mouth opened against her and she felt his sharpened canines brush against her skin. He was a beast fighting against his nature, the danger of it making Byleth more excited than scared. Or both.

The prince shifted one hand from the mattress to her body, then hesitated. He curled his fingers before he placed them on her stomach, knuckles running down the softness of her skin. He moved much slower, looking at his actions as he tried to explore Byleth’s body. Then he stopped, sighing and dropping his head against her chest.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, “Not again.”

Byleth felt the embers begin to die, the prince’s fears seeping through his desire to take her. She could see it in his eyes that he wasn't ready, afraid of the monster he shared a body with. The professor thought of the books she read, then took a moment to examine Dimitri’s expression before reaching up to grab his arms. The prince’s eye darted towards hers as she guided him to lie on his back. This moment couldn’t die out. Not when she wanted to find out where these feelings would lead. She just had to do something different.

Byleth didn’t stop rubbing circles around his skin, feeling his sculpted body beneath her fingers as she worked her way down Dimitri’s arms and onto the palm of his hands. She had him uncurl his fingers, revealing the claws that protruded from them and smiled. The prince already had too much to worry about, hurting her shouldn’t be another.

He was doing very much the opposite. He was drawing out some innate desire within her she didn’t realise she had.

Byleth recalled another piece of information from a book and moved a hand to his groin. She stroked her fingers down the bulge beneath the fabric and Dimitri didn't move his hand to his mouth in time to muffle a long and strained moan. She continued to rub his growing member as the prince writhed beneath her, shifting his body to get what he wanted from the friction. While she kept one of his hands at bay, fingers intertwined between his, his free hand twitched and clenched into a fist. Byleth could sense Dimitri feeling more comfortable with her touch, albeit still inexperienced and driven wild by the sensations.

Byleth moved her fingers towards the edge of his trousers and pushed them down, exposing his erection to the both of them. It was impressive, and she knew what to expect from the texts she had read. Dimitri’s entire body was flushed with red, and through the haze of lust, he gave her a small look of amusement.

_ Your turn. _

Byleth smiled, rolling her eyes and throwing her cloak to the side. She unclasped her bra and pulled her underwear and stockings off, the pieces of clothing joining the growing pile.

“Goddess…” Dimitri said. The prince stared at her wide-eyed, admiring every part of her body. He wasn’t the only one with muscle, the professor had a hardened body from her experiences in battle and training too. Beneath the layer of softness, you could see the tone peak through when she tensed. She might not consider it to be quite feminine, but Dimitri didn’t seem to care, in awe at seeing her as herself. She didn't see herself as a goddess, but maybe having the prince see her that way was enough to have her believe it, just a little.

Byleth leaned forward to kiss the prince on the neck and continued to stroke him. Dimitri squinted, head pressed against the mattress as he gasped. Without the barrier of his trousers, he felt the full intensity of her fingers at work. He reached his clenched hand up and held onto her arm as she teased him, searching for his weakness and what made him tick. Seeing the prince fall apart like this stirred the motivation for Byleth to continue as Dimitri held onto her like his life depended on it. He was hers to unravel, to feel safe and not be afraid to make himself vulnerable.

The professor smiled, then tried to bite his skin as well, similar to what he did before and he sucked in a breath.

“Ngh… profes- B-Byleth!” he gasped, his grip tightening around her arm as she quickened the pace. She watched Dimitri carefully as she continued to stroke him, whimpers escaping his lips. She hummed against his skin in response to hearing her name. That would do in place of her missing voice.

That seemed to be enough to drive him over the edge, a low groan reverberating through his chest as he came in her hand. She kissed him softly around where she bit him, tongue running against the small marks she made as she eased him off his orgasm. She held the prince for some time, his heart beating heavily against his chest as he tried to catch his breath. His eyes fluttered closed, sweat covered satisfaction across his face.

What a lovely expression, lips parted and body glistening in the low light of the fire. She had never seen the prince in such bliss before, and she was probably the first to witness it. Byleth planted another kiss against his cheek, Dimitri mumbling something she didn’t catch before walking across her office to retrieve a towel she had used for training. It was slightly dirty with her sweat but it will do.

She returned to wipe her hand and the prince’s stomach. He already appeared to be easing off his daze, though his eyes were still half-lidded with exhaustion. Dimitri watched her silently as she hummed, cleaning up after the prince.

He sat up just as Byleth was done, pressing his nose against her neck again. She raised a brow.

“So you do have a scent…” he muttered. Byleth raised an eyebrow, tossing the dirty towel to the side. Dimitri wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her into him. He kept his face pressed into her hair, taking in another deep breath. “It’s sweet… like a flower.”

Byleth blinked, then pulled away to show him her uncertainty in what he meant. He smiled, then sighed as he closed his eyes and settled more comfortably in her bed. “Your emotions. You know how I said how I could smell fear?”

Right. Byleth rubbed her neck, feeling uneasy out of all things. It wasn’t like her to _feel _or have much of a strong opinion. Perhaps that had begun to evolve further from when Jeralt had pointed out she started to smile more. No longer the stone-faced Ashen Demon, but… something else.

_ What emotion is it? _Byleth pointed to her neck. Dimitri blinked, smirking as he took another sample of her smell, the professor tingling as she felt the warmth from him. He hummed, thinking as he pulled away.

“It’s a mix of a few things, but I’m glad you’re feeling that way,” he said as he pulled her back into his arms. Dimitri pulled the blanket out from beneath then and threw it over their naked bodies. Byleth could tell he was keeping what he knew from her, and she gave a small scowl as the prince was forcing her to sleep. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise. I’m sorry that you only focused on me tonight, but-” Dimitri pressed a flat hand against her stomach, teasing her, “I’ll learn how to touch you properly for the next time. Even if you can’t scream I want to hear you humming in pleasure. You’re wonderful, Byleth, and I’ll be sure to give you what you deserve. A lover fit for a goddess.”

Byleth blushed. Damn him, already building anticipation within her. Dimitri sighed again as he seemed to catch another wisp of her scent, his smile being the last thing she saw as she submitted to her night’s rest.


	19. The Spar

Dimitri was still by her side when Byleth blinked awake. She took comfort in the heat of his body pressed against her in the chilly morning air. The lantern fire had died out sometime during the night, leaving only the dim sunlight to illuminate the prince’s sleeping face.

The two of them were still naked and Byleth found herself taking note of the scars on his body. She was close enough to examine them now, mapping out the timeline of his journey present on his skin. Interestingly, some of his scales framed parts of his scars that were more recent than the others. Was that what happened when he received those scars while he was a demonic beast?

Gently, she ran her finger over the largest one across his chest. His skin stretched over the discoloured tissue, jagged edges encasing the memory of a battle long ago. Then, she moved towards one of his scaled scars, feeling the hardness of his bestial aspect that faded into his soft, human skin.

“Curious?”

Dimitri’s eye was open and staring at Byleth as she paused her finger running down his scar. She nodded, then continued, the prince humming as a welcome invitation to. There was a hint of melancholy in Dimitri’s smile as she took in each scar, working her way up. A few smaller lines across his stomach- stab wounds. A gash that wrapped around his shoulder. A few scrapes and cuts up his arms and…

Byleth reached a finger and rested it on Dimitri’s eyepatch. She paused, waiting for permission before she proceeded. She lifted it and saw a thin line that ran from the top of his eye socket to the top of his cheek. She touched the bottom of the scar gently, feeling the bump between the skin and the injury. The prince continued to watch her curiously, enjoying how the professor was interested in his body. Why wouldn’t she be? In response, she shifted forward and planted a soft kiss just below his scarred eye.

Dimitri immediately blushed, closing his eye and suppressing a grin, “Honestly, Byleth…”

As she pulled away from his face she felt his length brush against her thigh and raised a brow at him. The prince opened his eye and she saw his desires bare for her to do as she saw fit. His expression longed for her touch, and she had gotten a rise out of him while she played with his scars.

Licking her lips, Byleth went in for another kiss, this time on his mouth as she pressed her body into him. The softness of her breasts and her fingers running through the prince’s hair made him harder, Dimitri pushing himself to sit up as he felt his need for her consume his body.

Byleth reached down between his legs and cupped him with her hand. He moaned into her mouth, muttering her name as clawed fingers dug into the mattress. Back pressed against the headboard, Dimitri let the professor take control of his body as he lost himself to her touch.

\---

Dimitri and Byleth both arrived at the blacksmith together, their armour in their arms as they prepared for another round of adjustments. They were to be deployed in two days, and they needed to figure out a way to encase the crest-suppression device on the prince’s chest without having a direct blow to the breastplate shatter his sternum.

Byleth’s request was a bit more controversial, and she didn’t mean for it to be taken the wrong way. Some of the representatives from the church were involved with the discussion of what to do with the armour. As expected, they didn’t like the idea of pulling apart the enlightened robes so she could adapt it on her existing armour. Painting her armour white and gold wasn’t the same either, and she sighed at the idea of wearing the goddess’ armour to battle.

In the corner of her eye, she noticed Dimitri was listening and suddenly the surrounding blacksmiths and church representatives grew  _ slightly  _ nervous. The prince’s glare could stab a man, and it didn’t help that his mouth opened to bare his sharpened teeth slightly.

_ Be nice,  _ Byleth glared back. She caught his attention and there was a tense moment as the surrounding people waited for her to diffuse the situation. Like staring into the mouth of a beast, the professor didn’t waver as she held her ground. Dimitri’s anger began to subside as the firmness of Byleth’s authority was trumping his. The prince blinked, then sighed as he looked away.  _ Thank you,  _ Byleth thought, pleased with herself.

The blacksmiths appeared to be more intimidated than impressed by her ability to reign in the prince. The workers shuffled around, unsure of what had just happened. If she could control the One-Eyed Demon, then what was she?

To Byleth’s delight, they eventually agreed to decorate her existing armour until she was ready to don the enlightened robes. As much as she wasn’t the type to express her role at Garreg Mach, it was useful in this situation to remind them that she was the Ashen Demon  _ and  _ the Goddess’ Chosen.

\---

Once preparations were in order, there was one final thing that needed to be tested. After sending a messenger to Hanneman and Gilbert, the professor and Dimitri arrived at the training grounds.

They approached the ring to the sounds of shuffling and grunting as Felix and Sylvain were sparring. Dedue appeared to be taking a break, taking a drink from a waterskin in the shade. Sylvain noticed their approach and signalled for Felix to pause a moment, greeting them with a smile.

“Hey, professor. Fancy seeing you see. You too Dimitri, you look like you’re in a good mood…” Sylvain trailed off, looking at the couple closely with a faint squint. Byleth could sense Dimitri’s conflict on if he should growl at the knight or shy away. She shook her head at him.  _ Of course, Sylvain would realise. Don’t be surprised. _

Felix scowled as he tried to read the situation, looking between Sylvain and the two of them. He looked lost, crossing his arms and the sourness of his expression growing.

Dedue stood up, walking over to greet the prince with a slight bow. “Your Highness, are you here to spar?”

“Yes, I am,” Dimitri said, ignoring Sylvain who looked intrigued at his discovery, “I’ve been meaning to test the device Hanneman has strapped to my chest. He mentioned that it was at a good stage to test in a fight.”

“Hmph, what’s the point?” Felix said, “If you can change into a demonic beast and back, shouldn’t you just do that?”

Another low growl reverberated from the prince but Sylvain was there to tap dark-haired knight on the arm. “Come on Felix, surely there are disadvantages for being such a large monster. Plus, Dimitri staying human was part of the plan, wasn’t it?”

Byleth hummed. In truth, the war council considered strategies that revolved around Dimitri being a demonic beast. Ultimately, with the unpredictability of his ability to control himself and synergising with the other Blue Lions, strategies involving human Dimitri were preferred.

The prince walked over to a weapon rack, shedding his heavy cloak and tossing it to a nearby bench. He wrapped his hands around a training spear and rolled his shoulders as he approached the centre.

“While you’re all here…” Dimitri said as he spun the spear in his hands, adopting a loose stance, “Who wants to go first?”

Sylvain immediately backed away, shrugging as he stepped into the shade and retiring his sparring weapon to a nearby rack. Felix chuckled and stepped forward first, twisting the wooden sword in his hands. “Gotta practise how to fight against the boar if you turned on us.”

Dimitri’s scowl deepened, teeth-baring towards his sparring opponent. Byleth could see the prince’s knuckles go white, muscles in his arm tensing so hard that she could see the veins in his arm. At this rate, he would break the spear in his hands. She stepped into the prince’s line of sight and caught his attention with a small wave.

_ Control- yourself-  _ she mouthed, then gave a small smile of encouragement.  _ Composure-. _

Dedue stood by Byleth’s side as Dimitri nodded, breathing out deeply before the match began. The two men were masters of their own art, Felix weaving in precise strikes against Dimitri’s defences. The prince spun the spear around his waist as he prepared to deflect another blow from the knight, then maneuvering his spear towards Felix’s chest. The knight managed to back away in time before the training spear landed a blow on him, the man panting as the two of them prepared for another set of strikes.

The device on Dimitri’s chest began to glow faintly beneath his shirt. Byleth could see a slightly pained expression across the prince’s face and that was when Felix struck. Good. The battlefield was remorseless. Dimitri moved slower as the light flickered, barely able to deflect a two-handed upwards strike from the dark-haired knight. Sylvain whistled, sitting back and enjoying the break as he looked impressed at the show of skill.

“Professor,” Dedue said, eyes still focused on the sparring match as he leaned down to her ear, “There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for some time.”

Byleth tilted her head towards the Duscur warrior curiously. His expression was near unreadable as he was still fixated on the prince’s fighting, hands clasped behind his back. The only thing that the professor could sense from him was a hint of guilt, a feeling she was familiar with too.

“I’ve… been wanting you to thank you for looking out for the prince while I was in hiding. In truth, I’ve been blaming myself for not returning to Dimitri sooner, and because of that he…” Dedue sighed, lowering his tensed shoulders and his posture softened, “I feel like I’ve failed him.”

Byleth and Dedue were drawn away from the conversation as Felix grunted loudly. His strike had grazed Dimitri’s arm and the prince hissed as they stepped back, retaking their fighting stances while the knight had a cocky smirk on his face. Dimitri growled, sharpened canines showing before he suddenly stopped, forcing his mouth shut and putting a damper on his anger. Byleth smiled.  _ That’s it. _

Dedue was watching intently, on edge at the thought of the prince getting hurt at all. Byleth shook him out of it by drawing his attention, gesturing for the Duscur warrior to look at her.

_ I- understand- you-,  _ she mouthed. She truly did. Byleth didn’t control the fact she had disappeared for five years. It was her fault for putting herself in that position in the first place which ultimately led to her abandoning the Blue Lions. It didn’t matter that she was the goddess’ chosen, she couldn’t change that aspect of the past. 

_ Sometimes- I- wish- I- didn’t- disappear-,  _ she mouthed, folding her arms into her chest as she let her regrets resurface to the front of her mind.  _ But- that- was- my- fate-. _

“Fate?” Dedue repeated, arching a brow at her. Byleth nodded, a half-smile appearing on her lips.

_ We- can’t- change- past-. Acknowledge- fate-. Move- on-.  _ She mouthed slowly. Byleth smiled, reaching over to place a hand on Dedue’s shoulder. It was what Sothis had mentioned to her long ago when she watched her father die.  _ Learn- from- fate-. _

Their attention was drawn again to the blur of Dimitri’s spear. The prince swung the weapon overhead, landing an incredibly powerful blow that Felix was barely able to block. The dark-hair knight gasped and Sylvain sat forward, watching the fight much more carefully as Felix struggled under the weight of Dimitri’s pure strength. With a hefty grunt, the knight managed to force the prince’s spear to the side which gave him time to recover and re-take his stance.

“Watch it, boar!” Felix hissed. That insult seemed to fuel Dimitri, a small grin of acknowledgement. “And don’t look at me like that!”

Dedue smirked, a faint laugh escaping from him as the two men went at it again. He watched the prince once more. Despite the scales, the sharpened teeth and claws from his fingers, it was still Dimitri underneath.

Perhaps Byleth had more similarities to the Duscur warrior than she thought. His hiding was similar to her disappearance- both had missed what the past was like and found comfort when something reminded them of it. 

“Thank you, professor,” Dedue said, a smile breaking through his stoic expression. Felix and Dimitri grunted again, the dark-haired warrior signalled for a break.

“Ugh, seriously. Sylvain! Get in here! I need a break,” Felix said, walking over to the benches as the red-haired man raised his arms.

“I’m good, thanks,” Sylvain said, already waving his hands in defeat. This only seemed to anger Felix more and he grumpily returned his wooden sword to a rack and wiped the sweat off his brow.

Dedue eyed Dimitri standing in the ring for a moment, before stepping forward and grabbing a nearby spear to the side. The prince lit up as he saw his old friend take a stance, taking a moment to wipe the sweat on his face with his shirt before beginning the spar.

“Oh look, a proper challenge,” Sylvain said.

“Shut up, Sylvain!” Felix growled, tossing his dirty towel at him.


	20. The Campfire

Hanneman took the measurements he needed from the crest-suppression device once Dimitri was done sparring from the day. It worked well under heavy exertion from the prince which was a good sign, and besides the mild discomfort, he felt while it was active it shouldn’t be too much of a distraction in battle.

Gilbert was pleased to hear this but he still carried an air of concern over Dimitri’s wellbeing. In an ideal situation, the prince shouldn’t be sent anywhere until they found a way to undo his transformation. But he needed to be with the Blue Lions. It wouldn’t be the same without his presence there, his strength keeping everyone safe. With a heavy sigh, Gilbert officially allowed the prince to go.

Byleth was finalising her travelling gear when she spotted Dimitri approach the gear. They seemed to finally get his armour down, but instead of his usual fully black plate, the metal gleamed white. He didn’t stand as imposing as he used to, aggressive and assertive, rather, he stood tall and proud as a king would.

_ A king… _

Byleth approached Dimitri. _ We match _, she smiled as she gestured back and forth between their armour, the plates of her armour modified as well. The prince blinked, returning her smile though much more shyly. It was a small thing that somehow had Dimitri all flustered.

The professor could see in the way he looked down at her that he wanted to kiss her, but felt nervous at the eyes that were surrounding them. She shrugged. They’ll have plenty of time alone once they returned from the mission.

“Are we ready to depart, Byleth?” Dimitri asked.

“Byleth? When did you start getting into a first-name basis?”

Approaching them, Sylvain and Ingrid carried their packs over their shoulders and weapons on their hip. They also guided their mounts on leashes, a horse and a pegasus striding beside them. The red-haired man glanced over at Byleth and winked before looking like nothing happened.

“I’ve been calling you ‘professor’ for so long that I don’t think I can make that change,” Ingrid said.

“Oh, I wouldn’t change either,” Sylvain said, raising his arms and clasping them behind his head. A sly grin appeared, “Unless you insisted, then…”

Byleth glanced up at Dimitri. He did his best to ignore Sylvain with not much luck, trying to hide his growing embarrassment. Both of them were still new to this and the prince wasn’t sure how to handle it. The red-haired knight shook his head and walked past them.

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone,” he muttered, giving them another wink before passing the gates.

“Sylvain! You’re not making fun of the professor, are you?” Ingrid said, joining her friend with her pegasus in tow. She swatted his arm and the man gave a small _ ouch _, “I know that look.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said as they walked ahead, conversation dying out the further they got from Dimitri and Byleth.

The prince sighed, scratching the back of his head. Byleth nudged him on the arm and pointed forward. _ Time to go. _

\---

It was a day of careful travel into the Empire territory. With the help of Ashe’s expertise in scouting, he and Felix went on ahead and ensured they wouldn’t be spotted by any enemy forces. Ingrid made sure to fly low, having Ashe join her in the skies sometimes to figure out a path through the forest and plains.

Byleth was good at scouting ahead as well, covering up her bright armour with a tan cloak and ducking between the trees. Throughout the day, she noticed Dimitri was constantly in hushed conversation with Sylvain. It ranged from the prince scolding his old friend to intrigue. Byleth just hoped the playboy didn’t give Dimitri any odd advice.

When night fell, the group had to move in darkness. The mages only summoned light in the form of fire or holy magic every so often for the scouts to know where they were. Once a suitable clearing was found, a signal was sent out to set up camp for the night and everyone regrouped.

Annette concentrated on a small firelight between them as they huddled in the dark, sitting on top of their bedrolls as they ate their rations. Dedue and Mercedes prepared for this and had dried some meats and food for the Blue Lions. It lifted everyone’s spirits to have the taste of home in such a tense mission.

The firelight flickered and Byleth’s attention was drawn to the mage eating quietly. Annette ate a piece of dried food and a small sob escaped between bites. Felix perked up at the sound and wordlessly shuffled over to her.

“It’s nice to see everyone together again,” Annette muttered, drawing a bit more attention to herself. “I missed this.”

“I agree,” Mercedes said. “It really does feel like how things used to be.”

Byleth smiled in response, meeting Annette’s eyes in the dim light. She’ll do her best to keep it this way for as long as possible too. She will not abandon them again.

The professor caught Dimitri’s expression as the Blue Lions began to reminisce quietly about the missions in the past. His blue eye flickered, withdrawing himself from the conversation the more they talked. He was hesitant to join, to add a story to laugh and reminisce about. Eventually, the prince stood up and stepped away without a word, his silhouette melding into the darkness. Byleth followed up, stealthily rising from the grass and leaving the rest of her students be.

She found him standing not too far away, staring up into the stars between a gap in the tree canopy. His arms hung to his sides, clawed fingers twitching as he tried to relax. But he couldn’t.

It didn’t matter if he stood amongst the trees where the air was free for him to breathe and the comfort of his friends only a distance away. Dimitri looked as though he was trapped in his own body, unable to be a part of what he wanted to do. Byleth could see it in the way he stood, head held high when he regarded himself so lowly. It wasn’t certain that he would stay a beast for all his life, but that didn’t mean he needed to isolate himself.

She approached him, similar to what she used to do and made enough noise to catch his attention. He turned around slowly, weight to his movements as he acknowledged her. Byleth reached to cusp his cheek and he sighed into her touch. She could see the exhaustion in his eyes, an unexpected sadness that came from seeing the Blue Lions happy. He longed for that happiness too, yet he resisted against the urge, fighting against his desire to belong.

“I don’t deserve this,” Dimitri murmured, “I’ve committed too many crimes and threw my humanity away. I can’t call myself the same man I was all those years ago.”

_ That’s not true. _ Byleth reached down to hold his hands in hers. She could already sense his hesitation as she lifted his claws and ran her fingers across them. _ You won’t hurt them. _

Dimitri tried to curl his fingers but she stopped him, pressing her hand against his to make him spread them apart. _ See? They’re just your hands. _The prince breathed out shakily, still uneasy as she weaved her fingers between the gaps of his. She continues to toy with his hands, none of his claws even close to piercing her skin. Then, without any trace of fear, she lifted his hand to her mouth and she kissed it. Dimitri quivered.

“Don’t…” he said, brows deeply furrowed. “I’ve killed too many with those twisted hands. I’m a monster.”

_ Don’t listen to the voices. _ Byleth didn’t stop her touches, caressing away the tenseness in his fingers and kissed the palm of his hand. Dimitri stopped her by gently moving his hands to encase her’s, blue eye shining as bright as the moon in the sky. She met his gaze. _ Don’t listen to them. _

He averted his stare, unravelling his hands to look at Byleth’s instead. He examined her fingers, calloused and scarred just as much as his. A few crooked ones here, scars and hardened skin there- He thumbed through them, brushing his finger across and watching them move as he hummed in thought. The professor smiled, seeing a bit more life returning to the dread in his eyes. She raised herself on her toes to kiss Dimitri, a tender moment encased in a feeling of comfort. He smiled against her lips, an expression Byleth loved seeing on him. It held all the charm she needed, reminding her of the delicate soul beneath that hardened shell.

“I love you too,” Dimitri said. He leaned down slightly to pull her into a warm embrace, his cloak shrouding her from the world surrounding them.

\---

Ingrid returned to the Blue Lions camp, blushing as she tried to process what she saw. The prince, and the professor, they were. Well. She saw. And they were close. But this? This was-

Well. She had nothing against it. In fact, no- it. She just didn’t expect. But she was-

“Ingrid? What’s the matter?” Ashe said as the knight approached. She sat down with a hard thump, pulling her knees into herself and pressing her lips in a thin line. Should she tell the group? No, that didn’t seem right. That was their business. Not hers. It was an accident she stumbled into them when they kissed.

“You look like you’ve just seen a ghost,” Sylvain quipped.

“Wha-? A ghost?” Ashe startled.

“Ghost? Where-?” Annette gasped, grabbing onto Mercedes’ sleeve beside her as the white mage comforted her friend.

Ingrid made a noise, something akin to a suppressed shout and a whimper before she snapped her attention to Sylvain.

“Y-You knew!” she said, holding all the power of an accusation in the silence of a whisper. Sylvain frowned, looked around at the Blue Lions, then opened his eyes when he caught on to what the knight tried to convey. He smiled, then shrugged before leaning back against a tree.

“Call it a man’s intuition,” he said. “I thought you’d have a good sense of these things with all the arranged marriages being thrown your way.” The whole exchange was confusing most of the Blue Lions, everyone looking at each other hoping for some clarification. Most of them.

“Oh!” Mercedes exclaimed, bringing her hand to her chest, “Is this about the professor and Dimitri?” Sylvain and Ingrid quieted, turning their heads towards the seemingly innocent white mage who didn’t seem all that surprised. “I would say they are perfect for each other, don’t you think? It’s so funny to see the way Dimitri looks at her sometimes. So adorable.”

Mercedes took another bite of her dried fruit as everyone looked at her, stunned. Sylvain snapped out of it the quickest but Ashe, Annette, Dedue, Felix, and Ingrid were all speechless.

“I gotta say I underestimated your abilities, Mercedes,” Sylvain said, giving her a nod and raising his waterskin at her. “Then again, with how much those two have been spending time together I’m more surprised that the rest didn’t catch on.”

Dedue coughed, bringing his hand over to his mouth as he fell into a contemplative mentality. “Now that you’ve mentioned it…”

“No. The boar?” Felix said bitterly. Annette looked towards the man and pouted, hands on her hips.

“What’s with you and hating Dimitri at every opportunity? Can’t you just leave him alone for once?” the mage said pointedly. Felix sighed, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

“Well, I think it’s great,” Ashe said, though a bit nervously. “I just… Well, I guess it was hard to see them as a possibility since the professor is… well, our professor.”

“Regardless, they’re a strong pair,” Dedue said, still in thought, “It beneficial to have a queen that could defend herself as well.”

“A-a queen?” Annette exclaimed quietly, hand to her mouth. She was finding it harder and harder to hide her reactions.

“Huh… King Dimitri and Queen Byleth? Sounds fine to me,” Sylvain said, smiling as he took a drink from his waterskin.

“Is that even water in there?” Ingrid asked, frowning.

“Maybe.”

“Ugh… give me some too.”

Sylvain arched a brow, then passed the waterskin over to Ingrid who took a large gulp before handing it back to him.

“Oh don’t feel too glum. Love is a wonderful thing,” Mercedes said cheerily.

“To think that the boy I grew up with is…” Ingrid gave up and kicked her bedroll open, sliding in and turning away from the Blue Lions. “I’m not upset… just proud, I think. Shocked, but still happy for him.”

The Blue Lions all looked at each other, somewhat agreeing with her words. The only outlier was Felix but another pointed look from Annette stopped him from taking another jab at the Dimitri. The sound of footsteps approaching made everyone at camp silent, followed by resuming the topic of conversation to mask their opinions on the couple.


	21. The Ambush

Once dawn crested over the nearby mountains, it was time for the Blue Lions to move. They did everything as outlined in their plan once they arrived, setting up their traps and finalising things for the ambush. Where they planned to assault Seteth and Flayn’s transport was on one of the more secluded parts of this Empire road. They needed a spot with enough cover to hide but enough space to skirmish once their transport was stuck in their trap.

Byleth noted how focused the Blue Lions were, taking the mission seriously and going the extra length to check things over with everyone. Seteth and Flayn were their friends too, and they were prepared to do everything in their power to save them from the Empire’s clutches.

Before they scattered to their positions, Byleth took a moment to check on Dimitri. She ignored the look he gave her as she made sure the shard of Areadbhar was strapped tightly against his belt and the device properly harnessed around his chest.

“Stay safe, Byleth,” Dimitri said. Byleth nodded. _ You too. _

Ashe and Byleth took their positions in the trees. For this tactic, the professor would use a bow, shortsword sheathed safely in her belt. There were already a lot of skilled close-quarters fighters like Felix and Dedue. Sylvain stayed further back, mounted on his horse and ready to pick off anyone that tried to flee. Ingrid did as well, though her pegasus was positioned on the other side of the battlefield opposite to Sylvain. The mages were to attack from behind, a few seconds after the fighters drew enough attention to themselves.

Ashe looked through the trees, eyes narrowing as he spotted something in the distance. He whistled like a bird in a certain pattern. They were approaching.

Byleth and Ashe both nocked arrows and waited patiently, the sounds of a carriage being pulled growing louder and louder.

And so did other sounds.

Moving in front of a heavily reinforced wagon with metal plating was a demonic beast. Rows and rows of Empire soldiers escorted the transport to the side, calming the horses that pulled it as the beast growled and hissed. Byleth nodded to Ashe, then climbed down the tree. Change of plan. The archer threw his bow over his torso and silently repositioned elsewhere.

As the beast approached the trap they had set, it raised its head and sniffed the air. The soldiers stopped, watching the demonic beast carefully as its attention was drawn by something.

It was then Dimitri stepped forward, walking down the Empire road with a spear in one hand and a throwing axe in another. The soldiers pulled out their weapons at the approaching figure, the beast snarling growing more and more aggressive. The prince took a battle stance, lowering his spear as he shifted the weight on the axe in his grip.

_ Come on. _

Dimitri tossed the axe with all his might towards the demonic beast. It didn’t move away in time for the axe to sink into its hardened skull, a roar echoing through the trees and rumbling the leaves. Shrieking, the demonic beast charged for him, but as its oversized body passed by a certain part of the road, it fell in.

In the trap, a circle of magic started to glow brighter and brighter. Then, in a burst of light ice shot up from the ground and encased a large part of the beast, trapping it.

They would have to find some other way to stop the carriage in its tracks instead.

The mages had repositioned to the front where they would focus their efforts into neutralising the demonic beast. Dimitri grabbed his spear with both hands and sunk it between the plates of the monster, prying it away from its body in a spray of blood. The device on his chest began to glow through the gaps of his armour and he hissed, swinging his spear around his body to strike at another part of its armour.

The Empire soldiers moved to secure the carriage, preparing to turn it around when Felix and Dedue attacked from the side. They moved together instead of a pincer attack, cleaving their way as quickly as possible to the transport driver. 

Finally, while the attention of the enemy was scattered between their forces, Byleth dashed in, approaching the back of the carriage and taking out an unsuspecting guard. She moved too quickly for them to react in time, driving her shortsword down the neck and passing through bone to pierce the soldier’s insides. She yanked the sword free and kicked the soldier away. An arrow flew by her head just as a soldier took notice, Ashe covering her as Byleth started to work on a row of heavy locks.

From the inside, she heard the faint sounds of movement before she fell deeply into her focus.

This was what the professor excelled in. She felt only calm in the fury and chaos of battle, able to concentrate on dismantling the lock and trusting in the Blue Lions to keep her safe. She inserted the pins and began to feel for the clicks. Byleth heard Ashe drop to the ground and move once he revealed his position. An Empire soldier attempted to strike him on the move, but a trap initially laid to keep the mages safe was triggered, a burst of fire erupting from beneath the enemy and melting their armour.

Nearby, the demonic beast broke from its daze, howling as it broke itself out of the ice and swiping at Dimitri. He brought his steel spear up and placed it between its claw, but with the horrid creaking of metal, the spear began to give as the prince was thrown to the side. He skidded onto his feet, growling back at the beast with his own fangs as he ducked other another swipe. A fire spell struck its backside and Annette quickly prepared another.

“Annette!”

The mage heard Felix’s voice and looked to her side to see an Empire soldier casting a spell towards her. She quickly abandoned her concentration to start on a defensive spell but suddenly, an arrow zipped through the air and penetrated the neck of the enemy mage. Annette looked up to see the professor put away her bow and resume with her lock, breathing out as she felt the power of her divine pulse fade. Panting heavily, she moved back, beginning to weave another spell in the air as she took up another position.

Byleth undid the first lock, then moved to the second one as the Blue Lions took out soldier after soldier. Sylvain rode in to join them, spear in his arms as he charged towards an enemy about to go for Mercedes. It wouldn’t be long for Ingrid to show up, covering all their bases.

Dimitri panted heavily, the device on his chest feeling like it was burning in his skin as he shoved his spear into the beast. The blood in his body felt cold, his crest unable to activate and his blow fell short. The demonic beast opened its mouth and sunk its fangs into the prince’s shoulder. Plate creaked, teeth tearing into the metal. Roaring, Dimitri abandoned the spear and sunk his clawed hand into the eye of the demonic beast while using the other to keep its mouth open. The beast struggled, splattering of blood spreading across the dirt below. The prince felt green light encase him as he continued to wrestle the beast, Mercedes concentrating from nearby.

Byleth felt the click of the second lock and moved to the third. Understanding the make of the locks much better she worked even faster, masterfully bringing the pick into the right positions and the third lock swung open. She yanked it out, tossing it to the ground and opening the doors to the metal-reinforced carriage.

The professor heard a muffled female scream as a shadow lept out from the inside. In a glimpse, she saw two figures huddled inside, both with green hair and with restraints on them. The third figure was a woman with long braided hair and dressed in colourful fabrics. She held a sword in her hand that barely missed Byleth as she retreated and rolled to the side.

“Professor,” Petra said, spinning the sword in her hand and adopting a low stance, “I hope that you can give me forgiveness.”

The Brigid warrior was fast, her footwork unlike anything Byleth has ever faced as she closed the gap between them. The professor brought her sword up and prepared to deflect a blow, only for it to be a feint and Petra sliced her chest with a dagger in her off-hand. Byleth was continuously forced back, the Empire warrior relentless in her assault.

When the professor managed to grab Petra’s wrist, she spun, bringing her leg to kick Byleth’s head which she managed to block with her forearm. With a hefty shove, she forced the Brigid warrior back who landed on her feet with the grace of a cat.

“S-Stop!”

Byleth’s attention was drawn to another woman that stood behind the fighting. She had short, purple hair and she held a dagger against Ashe’s throat. He looked at the professor with fear and anger in his eyes. An apology.

“Don’t move or I’ll k-kill him,” Bernadetta said, pressing the blade closer to the archer’s neck. Byleth gasped, breathing heavily as she kept her sword up. Petra inched closer, blades swinging in her hands.

“Please listen,” Petra said, cautious in her approach, “Come with us, and taking you to Edlegard will not have us harm the others.”

Dimitri heard the voices and he felt something boil from within him. A rage of knowing who they are and who they served. A reminder of his worse enemy. The prince needed to get to Byleth, _ now. _ He would not let them take her again. He _ will _protect her.

The demonic beast still had its fangs around him, denting his armour and spraying him with saliva and blood.

_ I need more power. _

The device on his chest began to strain, light flickering more furiously as he forced his claws deeper and deeper through the demonic beast’s eye socket. The monster tried to pull away but Dimitri didn’t let him. Not until he killed it.

_ Kill it. It’s in the way. _

The shard of Areadbhar on his belt began to glow as well and through the blood lust in the prince’s vision, he felt power began to surge through his body. 

Dimitri didn’t notice the shard of Areadbhar falling to the ground, smaller in size and the device around his chest breaking. All he felt was the strength coursing through his veins as he sunk his entire forearm into the beast, its eye socket shattering as he pierced its brain. He ripped out his claw in a trail of blood and gore, dripping down his skin as his intent shifted elsewhere.

Byleth looked between Bernadetta and Petra, the two women closed in on her as the two prisoners writhed on the inside. Seteth and Flayn could barely move, though through their exhaustion they shouted for her in their muffled voices, gags tightly around their mouths. The professor continued to scan the battlefield. Felix and Dedue were starting to tire, fighting wave after wave of Empire soldiers, not noticing the situation she was currently in. The carriage blocked the fight with the demonic beast and she cursed. Ashe continued to struggle against Bernadetta's grip. She wasn't strong, but she had the proper technique to keep him from breaking out of the hold. The archer looked at her with determined eyes. He wasn't afraid.

The professor shook her head at Bernadetta. _Don't do this. __Please. _Petra shifted close to her and she made sure she didn't get to close, waving her sword side to side as a warning to the warrior. Byleth turned back to Bernadetta again, the Empire fighter still intent on capturing her. It didn't feel so long ago since they were still students, only from another class. That didn't change how much she cared for them, everyone at Garreg Mach was her responsibility while she was the professor. That was the duty given to her.

_"Please,"_ Byleth said, her voice too weak to travel. She winced as her throat flared in discomfort as the purple-haired woman narrowed her eyes. She didn't quite catch that, but Petra did. The warrior seemed to know about the injury around her neck, unsurprised as she inched closer. The professor spotted a set of manacles strapped to her belt. Had they planned this ambush from the start? Byleth felt something sink to the pit of her stomach. Dorothea...

A shadow loomed overhead, a woman on a pegasus about to join the fray. Bernadetta caught on to the reinforcement and grew tenser, knife pressing into Ashe’s skin and drawing a bit of blood. The young man gasped, hand clawing at the woman’s arm. Byleth focused all her intent as she glared at the anxious woman, eyes carrying the weight of her plead with the desperation of her believe in saving everyone. She could see in their eyes and their movements they weren't like Hubert. They still had a heart that the professor could salvage.

“L-Look. More soldiers are coming. Just surrender, and I won’t hurt-”

Bernadetta gasped as Dimitri appeared out of nowhere. His speed was unnatural as he found his claws around Petra’s neck. She gasped, wide-eyed and dangling in the air. The prince growled, his human form much larger and mutated than he should be. The shard of Areadbhar was nowhere to be seen. Petra gasped, then started to go limp in the prince’s grasp.

Byleth shuddered when she heard a gurgle of noise from behind her, followed by a shriek of utter fear. She spun around to see a spray of blood around Ashe’s neck and the purple-haired woman drop the dagger. Dimitri had startled Bernadetta to act.

Life escaped from Ashe, his eyes going dull as he hit the ground.

Time shattered, grief roaring within Byleth. She spun, looking at the people around her and harnessed her emotions. The professor tested time, the world revolving to the past like shards of glass swirling around her. She didn’t have enough power to go back to before she undid the locks, the further she could go being Bernadetta walking out with Ashe in her arms.

There was nothing she could say to Petra. Dropping her weapons wouldn’t stop Dimitri charging at them. Bernadetta held her dagger too close to his neck. She stilled tried. With power to spare she rewound time and tried to reach for Ashe. Bernadetta still panicked, dagger pressing hard at Byleth's approach before she- The professor stopped time again, falling back to the start of the end. The next attempt she immediately pulled the bow out, but Petra was too fast. The warrior struck her before she could nock an arrow. She shoved the warrior away and forced her way towards Ashe. Bernadetta sliced again before drawing her own weapon at her. She growled, then the world spun once more.

Byleth felt trapped, her options limited, a cage of reality that forced time to halt. Petra and Bernadetta didn't trust her, and to that extention didn't trust any of the Blue Lions. If she showed herself a threat, Bernadetta would have to defend herself by eliminating her student to focus all her attention on the professor. There was nothing she could do to prove that they could trust her, that she cared about them and meant them no harm. The same could be said for Dimitri, a threat of pure muscle and power.

_ Please… no. _She wanted to spare as many people as she could. She should’ve rewound time before the undid the third lock. She should’ve signalled Ashe to cover Mercedes instead of her.

How can she get Ashe away from Bernadetta? She combed through the scenario again. That woman was too jumpy, too nervous to have her not act suddenly. She was too far away for Byleth to reach. The dagger was too close to his throat. How-

_ “That… is fate, Byleth.” _

The professor blinked, then stared into the beyond. A realm of darkness shrouding her as a familiar green light approached her. She toyed with a blue light that hovered nearby, though she flinched her fingers away from it when she touched it.

_ I need more power, _Byleth thought out loud. Her voice echoed through this space, the blue light flickering at those words. The professor gasped as the light faded away, leaving just her and Sothis alone. The goddess hummed, then floated closer to Byleth.

_ “Be glad that you were given a choice in the first place when others have none,” _ she said. Her voice was gentle and soft, carried by a sorrow only one who understood could express. _ “This is a curse as much as it is a gift. You will choose who lives and who dies, and the responsibility of that decision will burden you.” _

Byleth cursed, then cursed again as she fell to her knees. She failed as a professor. After all these years with the Blue Lions working together again, she failed them. In her moment of strife, she saw another person she could save. Held in the air, blood trickling down her neck and eyes gone dull soulless, Petra hung from the claws of the demon prince. At first, she wanted to damn her. Damn her for not letting her student go and damn her for getting in the way. Then she set her emotions aside.

_The power of the army comes from the illusion of their righteousness. You can lead a hoard of people into battle if they trust in your fight, no matter how much of it is true._

Byleth stared up, reaching up to the ring on her neck and remembered her father's words. No. She was a better professor than this. This wasn't their fault. They were just pawns being played a higher power. Byleth took one long glance into Ashe's eyes, he had grown to such a fine man over these past five years. _I'm sorry._

Sothis floated down to her, placing a hand on her head.

_ “You’ve grown,” _ Sothis said, no longer floating in the air to kneel in front of her. _ “I can feel the sadness in your heart.” _

_ And it hurts, _Byleth said. She hated the feeling of it. She hated feeling that way when she watched her father die in her arms.

_ “I know. But realise that there is always a force that opposes pain. I hope that you will experience the joy of emotion soon, but as of right now it’s okay to mourn.” _

Byleth felt Sothis’ touch grow warmer… then hotter. She felt heat begin to seep into her body like she was falling towards the sun. The professor felt as though she was drowning under the weight of her power, burning her from the inside out.

_ “And you will grow more soon. I feel myself becoming more awake as of late. But as of right now, I will leave you to your decision… Good luck, Byleth.” _

\---

Dimitri dashed towards where he heard Petra and Bernadetta’s voice. In a brief glimpse, he saw the Brigid warrior make her way towards the professor with her weapons out. There wasn’t any time to lose. He needed to save her. He was in range to take out Petra, the warrior unprepared to face the power he possessed.

As he raised his claw to grab the enemy by the neck, he stopped. The professor brought her sword up to _defend _Petra, struggling to hold back Dimitri as her short began to creak. The warrior gasped, staring wide-eyed as the two demons clashed.

Dimitri heard a shriek, his nose drawn to the smell of fresh blood followed by a nauseating cloud of fear. He turned to see Bernadetta drop a dagger as Ashe fell to the ground, clutching the blood around his neck. Dimitri stared at the young archer, a man with so much life in the way he greeted the people around him. He was family.

The prince’s attention was pulled by the professor wrapping her arms around his body, a mess of shattered plate that barely hung onto his form.

_ Don’t-, _ Byleth said, her voice a strained whimper. _ I… failed. _

“N-no no-no, I- I’m sorry. I-” Bernadetta began to panic. It was an accident, though in truth she kept to her word. The professor had moved, and she did what she threatened.

Dimitri needed to kill her. She killed Ashe. But the professor held onto him tighter, face pressed against his armour.

“Bern-!”

Petra ran and tackled the enemy archer out of the way as a stream of white magic shot towards them. Walking towards them was Mercedes, her hands clenched in the air as she held onto power that pulsed unstably in her hands. Nobody ever thought they would see the day, but everyone knew to fear the rage of a gentle soul.

Petra reached towards Bernadetta’s belt and threw something to the ground just as another stream of white magic tore through the air. A cloud of smoke erupted from the ground just as the spell ripped across the battlefield. A few seconds later, the two Empire fighters disappeared, leaving behind a corpse alone on the ground.

Everyone gathered, stunned at what had just transpired. Ingrid landed, joining Mercedes’ side as they knelt over Ashe’s body. They rolled him over and grief overwhelmed them when they saw his dead eyes. The two prisoners watched, Flayn sobbing into her brother’s arm as Seteth’s chest heaved. Dedue, Annette, Felix, Sylvain- they stood around to stare at the loss.

Byleth just sobbed into Dimitri’s chest, overwhelmed by her ability to feel emotion. She struggled to take control of herself, but she couldn’t. Her body shook, her mind was cloudy with sadness- It strangled her to the core and left her helpless.

Dimitri looked around, feeling his rage begin to subside though his mind was a thick haze. He blinked, trying to fight the voices in his head and focus on Byleth’s sobbing. They had to keep going.

“Sylvain! Ingrid!” he commanded, his voice roaring through the air. The two of them looked up, snapping their attention towards the prince. He pointed towards the open carriage, “Get them out of here now! Everyone, fall back! Reinforcements are on the way and we need to move!”

They both nodded, trying to ignore their sorrow as they helped Seteth and Flayn out of the carriage. Ingrid took Flayn into her arms, guiding her onto her pegasus while Sylvain helped Seteth onto his horse.

Felix and Dedue still hesitated, moving towards Ashe’s body before they were stopped by Mercedes. She stood up, tears streaming down her eyes though there was a darkness in her expression.

“We have to leave the body behind. We don’t have time,” she said. The mage had closed the archer’s eyes and folded his arms into a more peaceful position. “We can’t have any more casualties.”

In the distances, sounds of marching were approaching them. Felix and Dedue looked at each other, before spinning and running away. Mercedes followed them, holding Annette by the hand and dragging her along with her.

Dimitri tore off his broken breastplate with his strength, the device falling off his chest with it. That was followed by his pauldron and gauntlets before he knelt and swept the professor into his arms. “Come on, let’s go,” he whispered into Byleth’s ear. He pressed a gentle kiss against her temple before breaking into a sprint, picking up the fallen shard of Areadbhar as the Blue Lions fled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey... I'm sorry if this chapter was really heavy. As I was writing it with how I set it up this was what i ended up with. Happy moments will be coming soon, don't worry. I love you guys, and thank you for the support


	22. Paralogues One

Petra and Bernadetta gasped for breath as they ran far away from the fight. They had heard the stories of Dimitri and his semi-bestial state, but that wasn’t the thing that they should’ve feared. Bernadetta began to cry in Petra’s arms, tears in both of their eyes as the Brigid warrior held her tightly.

“We have to go back,” Bernadetta said, shaking Petra. “We have to apologise to them!”

“They were our enemy,” Petra said, stopping Bernadetta and looking at her in the eyes, “We need to kill enemies.”

“What kind of enemies were they? They were just trying to save Seteth and Flayn!” Bernadetta shouted, shaking herself out of Petra’s grasp and walked around, bloodied hands in her hair. “Oh… this was a mistake. We should never have fought them. Look at what happened! Even the professor protected you from Dimitri when he tried to kill you!”

Petra gasped. She recalled that moment where the professor stood between her and the prince of Faerghus. But why? Why would the professor…

“Are you saying that we betrayal the Empire?” Petra said, brows deeply furrowed, “To be a betrayal to Emperor Edelgard?”

Bernadetta stilled, then lowered her hands to the side. She sobbed quietly, wiping her tears on her sleeve before turning to face the Brigid warrior. “Yes. I-I can’t be with the Empire anymore.”

“But Edelgard is our friend-”

“I don’t care! Did you see what she did to Ferdinand and Dorothea?! That’s us next!”

“Ferdinand and Dorothea betrayalled the Empire-”

“Don’t you get it!?” Bernadetta stormed up to Petra and grabbed her by the chest, scrunching up her clothes, “Friends don’t do that to each other! Friends don’t torture or kill or turn people for an army of demonic beasts!”

Bernadetta and Petra stilled, their sobbing the only sounds between them. Petra knelt to wrap her arms around her friend and held each other. It had been five years of serving Edelgard, and five years of letting her acts of violence and evil slide. The house leader they knew had changed, and they were afraid to admit it.

Petra sat back, reaching up to wipe a bit of blood on Bernadetta’s cheek. In truth, Petra was afraid too. She admired that Bernadetta could admit her fears so easily. For a long time, she was only used to hiding it because it was a weakness. The warrior held Bernadetta’s head in her hands and sighed.

“I will come with you,” Petra said, her heart heavy with the decision. Her people would suffer, but it was only a matter of time before Edelgard would grow dissatisfied of her power and target her homeland. Bernadetta lit up, her reddened eyes staring up at her.

“Y-You will?” she asked. Petra nodded, smiling as she hugged the archer again. “O-oh! Who else do you think we can take? Maybe we can get Linhardt to-”

“No,” Petra shook her head, “If we flee, we flee now. We can’t return back, or else it will be too late.”

“But Linhardt…” Bernadetta trailed off. It was hard to admit but Petra was right. There was no going back from here. They needed to get away or lose their chance forever. It pained her to leave a friend behind, but Linhardt was smart. He’d find a way out if he wanted to get out. She took in a deep breath, then another, before nodding, “Okay. L-let’s go.”

Petra nodded, helping her stand up as they held hands. They started to flee the Empire territory, though before they did they returned to the scene of the battle. They spotted soldiers running towards where the Blue Lions had fled, thankfully leaving Ashe’s body untouched. Bernadetta felt a stream of tears appear again as she noticed how they had left him. They didn’t give them a chance to take him with them, and all they could do was lay him to rest on the ground.

For the rest of the day, they spent mourning the loss of an old friend. They didn’t have the tools to dig a grave so they took him to a quiet part of the forest and surrounded by as many wildflowers they could find. Petra found a nicely shaped rock that she rested above the man’s head as he laid in the grass. Finally, Bernadetta tore a strip of fabric from her sleeve and tied it around Ashe’s neck, hiding the dried red line across his skin. He looked as though he was asleep, peaceful in a bed of flowers beneath the warmth of a sunset.

The purple-haired lady placed a hand on the man’s chest, tears dripping down onto his clothes.

“I’m so sorry, Ashe,” Bernadetta said. “This was my fault.”

Petra shook her head, placing her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Things such as this happen in war… and we’re going to soon change this.”

“Will they take us? Would they just not execute us the moment we arrive?” Bernadetta asked, fearfully.

“It’s either that or…” Petra stared towards the direction of the throne, where Edelgard sat. She shuddered at the thought of what she did to Ferdinand and Dorothea before turning back to the archer. Bernadetta understood, taking another deep breath to clear her mind before she stood up.

They held hands again, Bernadetta’s shaking fingers in Petra’s cold hands. Together, they fled, leaving behind five years worth of regret and looking onwards to their old home of Garreg Mach.

\---

Marianne was called into a meeting with Claude. She hated that. It was always so nerve-wracking when she didn’t know what it was for. Did she do something wrong? She already cringed at the thought of what it could be.

Nervously toying with the fabric of her dress, she entered the meeting room. The doors opened and she spotted Claude sitting on the table, Hilda chatting with him (sitting on a chair) as she propped her head up with her hands. Ignatz was there too and his face lit up when she saw her enter.

“Great! Glad you have you, Marianne,” Claude said as he hopped off the table. He took a proper seat at the table as she found a seat for herself. She chose the one next to Ignatz. That spot was the most comforting one for her to be at. “Let’s cut to the chase then. I assume you’re all aware of the state between the Kingdom and the Empire?”

“Well... yes,” Ignatz said, pushing up on his glasses. “With the Empire building an army of demonic beasts and the Kingdom currently holding up at Garreg Mach.”

“There are a few things as well,” Claude said, clasping his hands together as he glanced at Marianne. “The professor is back after five years, and Prince Dimitri can transform into a demonic beast.”

“D-demonic beast?” the timid lady said. She gulped. Of course, it had to be something to do with beasts. Ignatz noticed her growing anxiety and smiled at her. She smiled back, though it didn’t help much with the nerves that ran through her system. “So… what do you want me to do?”

“I want the _ both _ of you to do something for me,” Claude said, gesturing between her and Ignatz. They looked at each other, unsure of what that meant before returning their attention to their leader. “I need you to join the Kingdom’s forces at Garreg Mach.”

“You’ll do great, Marianne,” Hilda said, smiling at her dear friend despite the look of absolute panic in her eyes.

“B-but… I-”

“Hear me out. I know this is pretty sudden but my spies came back with some concerning information. It’ll be just like the time we were students monastery, the only thing you’ll need to do is send us a letter once in a while to report on how things are going,” Claude said.

“Wouldn’t the Empire see this as taking sides?” Ignatz exclaimed. “We’ve been neutral for so long. This would just give Edelgard an excuse to target us.”

“And we need to take that risk now before it gets even worse,” Claude said. The man sighed, pressing his face into his clasped hands as he thought. “The Empire is getting worse, and we need to show the Kingdom some support before the Empire tramples them and targets our territory next. We’re preparing our defences and we don’t have a lot of people to spare, so I can only send you two to help. This isn’t an request. It’s an order, got it?”

They rarely saw their leader this serious, but for a moment she Marianne saw the fear behind Claude’s usually expressionless eyes. A genuine concern for his people and the possibility of being trampled by the Empire. Marianne and Igntaz looked at each other again. If they had to do this for the safety of the Alliance then…

“A-alright,” Marianne said. “I’ll get ready to leave then.”

She never explicitly told Claude about her crest, but she wouldn’t be surprised if he already knew about it. If this was going to end up being a war of demonic beasts, then it would only be fitting to send a beast as well. As she stood up to go, Hilda quickly stood up and chased after her too. She gave Marianne a big hug and planted a small kiss on her cheek. “Oh, I’ll miss you lots.”

“Y-yeah. I’ll miss you too, Hilda,” she said, smiling at her. The pink-haired woman took her hands in hers and grinned.

“If you see anything you think I might like, send it along with those letters too,” Hilda said. “You know what’s in fashion this season, don’t you?”

“O-of course.”

Marianne watched Ignatz take his bow and leave the room. With one final hug with Hilda, she joined his side and they left the room together. They talked as they made their way to their rooms, discussing what Garreg Mach would be like after five years and what they could do to help.

\---

Catherine fought off wave after wave of demonic beasts. Shamir was nearby, a volley of arrows raining across the rocky plains as her apprentice, Cyril, cleaved through another beast with his axe. She felt Thunderbrand begin to falter, signs of wear on the heroes relic as she used the blade to tear through the armour of another monster.

“There’s too many!” Shamir yelled, nocking more arrows and firing them into the eyes of the beasts.

“Yeah! No shit!” Catherine yelled back.

The three of them knew exactly what the Empire wanted from them, but hell were they going to surrender their heroes relic that easily. It wasn’t until recently they heard the news that they managed to get a hold of the Sword of the Creator, despite the professor disappearing for five years.

“W-we have to get out of here,” Cyril said.

“I’ve been trying to clear a path but they keep coming!” Catherine replied. She looked up just in time to slam her blade into the jaws of a demonic beast about to bite a chunk out of her. She couldn’t give up Thunderbrand. Not to the Empire and not when they’re hoarding them for goddess knows what. The knight lifted her boot and kicked the demonic beast in the face before spinning her sword and ramming up through the roof of the beast’s mouth. It gurgled, then with a roar, it fell to the ground and left behind a dead man.

“Cath- Look out!”

Dark magic blasted the ground beneath her and she rolled across the gravel. Pain shot up across the side of her body as she used Thunderbrand to help her stand. The weight of a hefty claw pushed down on her form and she cried out in agony, the sound of her armour being crushed against the stone below. In the blur of her vision, she saw Shamir and Cyril try to reach her but fail, beasts surrounding them and blocking her from her sight.

The demonic beast growled at her as she struggled to get up, pushing against its claw with no success.

“There’s no need to struggle. You’ve already lost.”

Catherine glanced up, heart beating heavily in her ears as she saw a familiar face greeted her. He sported a dark robe, though she noted how one of his sleeves were sown over. The knight of Seiros couldn’t help but smirk.

“Had a little accident there, Hubert?” she said. The man waved and the demonic beast placed more pressure on her, a scream escaping her lips as she felt the metal of her plate digging into her skin. The man knelt in front of the knight and picked up Thunderbrand from the ground. He struggled a bit with the weight of the blade but managed to lift it enough for him to carry.

“Take her back to the Empire. Her crest will be of use to us,” Hubert said, gesturing for the demonic beast to pick her up. There was no more energy in Catherine’s body as he was lifted into the beast’s mouth. She watched as Hubert turned to look at something over his shoulder, then smirking at the realisation. “Bring them too. We can always use more powerful demonic beasts.”

Catherine groaned as she saw Shamir and Cyril being lifted away as well, their bodies limp and bloodied in the hands of the enemy. She frowned, trying to move but her finger barely twitched. Cursing, she squinted her eyes and let out a cry of anguish, her voice echoing through the stony plains of blood and death.

_ I’m sorry, Lady Rhea. I failed you. _


	23. The Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew... i released a lot of chapters in the past few days. Time to rest up and do it all again another time haha

The trip back to Garreg Mach was silent. Nobody said a word. Just a quiet march back to base. Dimitri carried Byleth the whole way. She was weightless while he was more beast than man. Curse him. He gave in to the temptation for more power again. He did it to save her, but he lost Ashe instead.

He’d never seen her like this before. There was something so fragile about the professor that he’d never expect to come from her. She was always so level-headed and stoic, but now… she could barely hold back the sadness that plagued her. He could smell it on her like the scent of stagnant rain.

_ I failed… _

Byleth had said that to him. Dimitri knew about her ability to stop time, but besides that, he didn’t really understand the true extent of her abilities. That didn’t matter to him. All he knew was that Ashe was her student, and the weight of his death crushed her.

Dimitri was familiar with that sensation. That was what the voices haunted him for. He didn’t use that as an excuse for all the terrible things he did in the past five years. It was still him beneath all the mental torture he had to endure. What he cared about was Byleth to not develop a set of voices in her head as well, to feel blamed for the people she couldn’t save or the guilt of failing the people that trusted her. He didn’t want her to do something she would regret, fueled by the blind need for vengeance.

_ But what was that voice he heard? He swore he had heard her in his mind. Out of place with the chorus of dead he was used to hearing. _

Dimitri didn’t care if the Blue Lions saw him kiss her on the forehead once in a while, rubbing soft circles with his thumb on her arm as they walked on the dirt roads back to the monastery. He needed to be there for her, as much as she was there for him since setting eyes on him at the Goddess Tower.

Once they had passed through the gates, Seteth and Flayn were immediately sent to Manuela for treatment. Mercedes did a good job tending to most of their wounds during the trip and they were finally able to get something proper for their time under the Empire. One thing that Dimitri couldn’t help but notice was how much Flayn was glancing over at Byleth. Out of general concern or something else, he wasn’t sure.

The prince could tell from the general stares around him that they speculated he transformed into a demonic beast again. The blacksmiths didn’t hide their concern at the missing armour on the top half of his body but ignored them as he approached Gilbert and Rodrigue who were waiting by the stairs.

Dimitri stopped, then looked behind him towards the Blue Lions.

“Get some rest. I’ll handle everything. All of you should focus on recovering and spending time with one another,” he said. Dimitri felt a strange surge of responsibility that he was prepared to take on. He knew as their house leader he needed to care for his friends. The prince was done with snarling and acting like a fool. He put his inner aggressions aside for another day.

“Are… the two of you going to be okay?” Ingrid said, her head hung low while she stared up at him.

Dimitri glanced down at Byleth in his arms. She had fallen asleep, dozing against his body. He smiled, brushing her green hair from her face, “Yes, we’ll be fine.”

Nodding, the Blue Lions scattered. Mercedes and Annette made their way towards the church. Sylvain, Ingrid, and Dedue made their way towards the dining hall. Finally, Felix sighed and made his way towards the training grounds, giving Dimitri a small look before leaving.

Odd. Dimitri smelled confusion coming from the knight.

The prince turned to look at Gilbert and Rodrigue who already seemed to catch onto what had happened.

“A-are you sure you don’t want to see Hanneman first?” Rodrigue asked. The man was concerned for him, looking out for any signs of sadness coming from Dimitri.

“No. I’ll take Byl- the professor to her room before I meet with you at the war council. We need to discuss our losses and prepare for the next time we are caught off-guard like this.”

The prince walked past them, making his way up the stairs and moving towards the reception hall.

_ “-ust wake up alread-!” _

Dimitri flinched, then looked around him for the source of a voice. He swore he heard the sound of a young girl talking, though he couldn’t see one around him. Feeling a bit unsettled, he continued on his path to deliver Byleth to her room.

\---

Byleth blinked away. Her body ached though her heart ached more at the emotions she was feeling. Tears immediately started to roll down her eyes and she cursed at her blurred vision. She wiped them away, but they still poured down her cheek. Through the haze of discomfort, she analysed her current state and checked her surroundings.

Byleth was still filthy, covered in sweat and dirt after days of travel, but otherwise no major injuries. Her armour was removed by the prince probably and he was nowhere to be seen. Just exhaustion, despite being carried around by Dimitri the whole way back.

But that didn’t make sense to her. She should be feeling fine. She barely moved her body and didn’t have to endure any more fights. It was then Byleth noticed that her bath had been filled with water. Perhaps the first step would be to clean herself off before she tried to figure out what it was that made her feel so tired.

The professor stripped, kicking aside dirty clothing and hopping into the clean water. It was luke-warm, edging towards cold but she didn’t care. She grabbed a cloth and began to scrub the dirt out of her fingernails and between her toes. She splashed water behind her ears and dipped her whole head into the water before she considered herself clean enough to get out. Byleth grabbed a fresh set of clothes she hung in her room, a simple skirt and a loose shirt, paired with some boots.

She still felt exhausted. Perhaps she needed to move around to help her wake up a bit more. Byleth strode out of her room and spotted Dimitri climbing up the stairs to her floor.

The professor gasped. She remembered not seeing that many scales on his body or his claws being that long. Dimitri walked around barefoot, the bone structure of his legs had changed and resembled his more bestial side. He had a newer device strapped to his chest, though from the way his shirt stretched across his torso he had grown in size as well. That she somewhat remembered from a few days ago when Ashe...

_ What- happened-? _She mouthed. Dimitri looked just as surprised as her though for another reason.

“You should be resting,” he said as walked up to her. He had to kneel down much further than usual just to meet her at eye level. She shook her head then reached up to hold the prince’s hand. The one she held not so long ago felt so different to now.

What-. Happened-. She mouthed, more intently this time. The prince lowered his gaze, then leaned forward to rub his cheek against hers.

“I’m sorry, Byleth,” he said, pulling her into a very careful embrace. He barely held her, his arms hovering around her body. “It’s… just taking a bit more time to force out Areadbhar.”

The prince reached towards his belt and showed her the shard in his oversized hands. The shard of the weapon had halved in size the last time she saw it.

“I don’t know when I can-”

Byleth blinked, feeling like something got caught in her eye. She blinked again, raising her hand to rub her vision when it suddenly split. Byleth sensed a bright blue light right in front of her, blinding and somewhat dazing her. She stumbled back and Dimitri caught her.

“Please, Byleth. I have everything handled in the war council. Once you’re feeling be-”

Byleth felt odd. She heard Dimitri’s voice echoed twice. One was his words, a voice that passed his mouth and drifted to her ear. The other one…

_ Will I ever turn back? Will I ever return to a body that won’t do any harm? I’m so sorry, my love. I wish I didn’t give in to this power so easily… The kingdom can’t be ruled by a monster like me… I feel so lost. _

The professor gasped. It was still Dimitri, but instead, that voice passed through the void and vibrated directly into her heart. She rubbed her chest at the strange feeling, an instinct pulling at her to act.

But do what?

She remembered Sothis could touch it, and curiously, she reached out in her mind’s eye to grasp it as well. The moment she did, Dimitri froze, his eyes widened as he looked around him.

_ “What did I say about bringing guests in here?” _

Dimitri gasped, “That voice again…”

Byleth ignored him as she focused on Sothis words which were embedded deep in the darkness.

_ “Do I seriously have to explain everything? Fine… Just tell Dimitri to change back or whatever. I can feel a bit of my blood coursing through his veins. You should be able to control him because of that.” _

Byleth frowned. She briefly left her mind’s eye and saw Dimitri frowning as well. He looked disoriented at the whole ordeal.

_ The goddess sure works in mysterious ways... _

And she was willing to try them.

She returned to her mind, closing her eyes and falling back into the darkness that spread across her vision. Byleth sought out the blue light and reached out once more, imagining that she grasped onto it. Breathing deeply, then felt the sensation of her divine pulse swirl through her body.

The goddess’ power passed through her veins and across her chest. It reached her heart and circled to her lips. A command. She felt the power allow one phrase to pass through the tip of her tongue. For a moment she could see two crests beating in one heart. The same, but one was fragmented. One was wrong.

_ Release. _

That word left her body, carrying the power of the goddess with it. It washed over the blue light that was Dimitri’s soul. Byleth’s eyes fluttered open to see the prince encased in a soft green light. The man gasped, his body shrinking. With a final burst of light, Byleth gasped as something ejected from Dimitri’s chest. The professor made it in time to catch him and noticed the lack of imperfections on his skin. His teeth were straight when he groaned, and as he reached up to touch Byleth his nails were smooth.

The professor gasped as she reached over to touch his hands. There were no scales, no claws, nothing.

Dimitri was human again.

The prince blinked as he saw his own hands, then looked down towards the rest of his body in disbelief. Both of their eyes darted towards a shape that rested beside them.

Lying on the ground was the fully reformed heroes’ relic, Areadbhar.

Dimitri started to laugh, a smile across his face as he stared up at Byleth. He leaned forward to kiss her, a passionate one filled with joy and wonder. She met him with similar emotions, more with disbelief at her powers. Was this was Sothis meant when her powers were growing? Could she control more than just time?

“Er, Prince Dimitri? I forgot to mention this version of the device is-”

Dimitri and Byleth pulled away from the kiss to see Hanneman frozen, not quite at the top of the stairs to the third floor. He glanced at them, then down at the heroes’ relic, and back at the embracing couple on the ground. He gasped, then quieted himself and looked around.

“Has anyone seen you?” he whispered, stepping up to them. They both shook their heads then the crest researcher hurried them into Byleth’s office, picking up the heroes’ relic along the way. He shut the door, then breathed out in exhaustion as he attained the privacy he wanted. Hanneman regarded the professor with a look of concern, adjusting the monocle on his eye. “You… were the one that restored Prince Dimitri, I assume?” Byleth nodded, then Hanneman reached up to wipe the sweat on his forehead. “My goodness… Do you know what this means?”

There was silence, then the prince glanced up, wide-eyed.

“She can undo Edelgard’s demonic beast army...” Dimitri said.

“And that is why you need to turn back into your broken form,” Hanneman said, passing Areadbhar to him. “There are spies everywhere. I don’t know how but I can already tell the Empire knows about the research I’m conducting on your body.”

Dimitri stepped up to Byleth, placing his hands on her shoulder and looking at her. Both of them understood where the crest researcher was coming from, but he still looked at her for permission. A confirmation that it was alright that he gave back the gift she had blessed him with. The professor reached up and placed a hand on top of his, a gentle smile on her face. War was war, and it must be done.

The prince frowned as he reached towards Areadbhar. Byleth could sense that blue light in the abyss began to glow once more as Dimitri concentrated. Thick, dark light swirled from the crest stone and consumed his body. His features grew, the prince wincing as he gritted his teeth at the sensation of his body changing. He gasped when he knew it was enough, Areadbhar falling to the ground to a familiar sized shard.

Hanneman sighed in relief, then straightened himself before moving towards the door. “It’s your decision to who you pass your knowledge to, but know that if you reveal this at the right moment we could win this war. Professor, you... have the power to turn the tide. Oh, and uh… congratulations you two. You seem very happy together… ahem.”

The crest researcher left them, opening the door and walking very quickly back down to the second floor. Dimitri placed a hand on her shoulder again, much heavier than just moments ago.

“We have a chance… and I have a future,” Dimitri said, still in disbelief at all of this. He looked at her and in his stare, she saw how much he held her in his heart.

Byleth rose on her toes to kiss the prince, a hand tangling in his hair as they indulged in each other’s touch. She stepped back, a grin on her face as she mouthed _ my- love-. _Those words seemed to set Dimitri on fire, his cheeks growing red as he coughed.

“Yes… exactly. Well- I, um. I mean…” he trailed off, then inhaled, “Indeed, Byleth… my love.”

Byleth could help but blush at those words, then felt all the energy leave her body and she collapsed to the ground.

“Wha-! Oh, not again. Guess I have no choice but carry you to bed… again.”


	24. The Funeral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> coming at you with an earlier than usual update, enjoy!
> 
> also, all your comments give me so much joy. there's always a risk with writing character death but i'm glad it's been received well! here's a super fluffy chapter as thanks

A few more days passed at the monastery as Byleth and Dimitri worked together to figure out how to proceed. She hadn’t worked with the prince like this before, and it was delightful. The combination of her suggestions and his expertise on the situation made her believe they were doing a good job paving the Kingdom army in the right direction. She even noted how the council started to relax around the demon prince from how much more controlled his temper was.

It was difficult to avoid addressing what the two of them wanted, but once they had finalised the next step in this war, Byleth and Dimitri pulled each other aside to think about more sensitive matters.

Byleth found her emotions more turbulent, twisting in her gut as she thought of the proper way to honour the loss of a close friend. The feelings she experiences were exaggerated compared to what she felt with her father. A darker piece of her mind blamed her for stalling the conversation, telling her that the peaceful option was the wrong one. She searched her memories for her father's advice for the matter and found none. Things were simpler then. You survived, or you didn't.

The professor sat back, taking a break from sorting through papers and closed her eyes. She still hated feeling this much and tried to force it away. Dimitri placed a hand on her shoulder, taking her mind off her inner conflict.

“I can handle this if you want a break,” the prince said. It wasn’t a secret that he could smell the emotions of people in that form, and now that Byleth had developed more of that he would check on her every time he caught the particular scent.

Byleth shook her head and continued looking through a few more sheets of paper. Dimitri appeared to be doing a much better job than her and hid his opinion of the matter well. In his case, it was duty first, feelings later. That didn’t change Byleth from leaning in, pecking him on the cheek when she saw his expression drift a little darker. They were in this together, and together they would take care of the Blue Lions.

\---

A handful of people attended Ashe’s funeral. The archer was popular amongst the common people who lived at Garreg Mach but they understood when this particular moment was reserved for the people closest to him. Mercedes and Dedue had brought flowers for the moment and set them down before clasping their hands together to pray. Ingrid had a few words to say, commending Ashe for being the knight he always dreamed of becoming. Felix held Annette, who had pressed her crying face into his arm.

As Ingrid was in the middle of her eulogy, Byleth heard a small grunt from Dimitri. The prince rubbed his chest uncomfortably but then noticed she was looking at him and smiled.

"It's nothing," he whispered into her ear before standing tall again.

"I remember fondly the moments we shared, especially when we spoke about our favourite books and-" Ingrid paused and people glanced to where she looked. Seteth and Flayn moved down the steps and into the cemetery, slowly from their still bandaged form. Manuela was following close by, keeping her eye on her two patients.

Sylvain and Ingrid both rushed to help them, beating Byleth and Mercedes to it.

"Oh! Thank you. I hope we're not interrupting too much," Flayn said, flustered by the sudden rush of aid.

"It's no problem, really. I'm glad that you made it," Ingrid said, smiling. As solemn as this moment way, the female knight didn't hesitate to show her kindness to the young mage. Sylvain took a glimpse towards her, blushing.

As the two recovering survivors took their places, Byleth couldn't help but notice the green-haired lady sneaking glances at her.

Seteth and Flayn stood with the rest of the Blue Lions and the other heads of the academy, Ingrid continuing her eulogy. The professor couldn’t help but feel comforted by everyone that was gathered, their shared grief bringing warmth to one another. She glanced over at her students, proud at them for who they had become. War might be cruel, but it didn’t stop them from growing up into strong, respectable people.

That was when she remembered her father's advice.

_ You can’t lead by example if your subordinates don’t respect you, but respect can be obtained in many different ways. What do you want people to respect you for? _

She brushed her hand against Dimitri’s and he wrapped his fingers around it. Byleth wanted to be respected for the right reasons. Not feared as the Ashen Demon or worshipped blindly as the Goddess’ Chosen, but trusted by the people that she would do anything in her power to protect them.

Was that why Ashe dying wounded her so? Her rational, mercenary brain told her it was impossible to save everyone, though that was different from trying. She had tried to save her student. She tried to negotiate and failed. She tried to rewind time but didn’t have enough power. Despite the grief she felt from failure, Byleth wouldn’t stop trying for the people she cared about. At least then, she wouldn’t be able to blame herself for negligence.

_ Thank you, father. _She wished she had at least said that to Jeralt before he passed. Even now his teachings were an echo to her every step.

Dimitri grunted again, face tense as he wavered. Byleth brought one hand up to support the prince, worried at the sudden ailment he had fallen upon. She subtly guided him to the back of the group, holding his body up. Had he pushed himself too much over the past few days? The professor caught Flayn’s eyes in the crowd who immediately noticed their departure and gave her a half-smile. _ We’ll talk later. _

Byleth then caught Ingrid’s attention and nodded towards her. The knight acknowledged them, not breaking from her words as the professor escorted Dimitri up the stairs.

She pulled the prince to a secluded place in the monastery, Dimitri no longer holding in the pain he felt. Byleth helped remove his shirt to check on the device strapped to his chest, only to be drawn into the network of blackened veins underneath it instead.

“I don’t think my body knows what it should be anymore,” Dimitri said, somehow still having the mind to crack a joke. She spotted the faint stain of black bile in the corner of his lip. Byleth placed her hand on the device, waiting for the prince’s confirmation before she took it off.

_ Why- _she gasped, running her fingers against the thick purple and blackened veins on his chest. Dimitri smiled bitterly, then leaned down to kiss the professor. “I wanted to attend the funeral as a man before I had to transform back,” he brought his mouth closer to her ear to whisper, “I can’t be fully human, not yet. Don’t worry, I won’t stay a demonic beast for long. Just until my body rights itself enough.”

_ As much as it can right itself as a beast. _Byleth hesitated, trying to keep up her smile but failing to conceal the worried look in her eyes. Dimitri breathed in, lips turning into the warmest smile he could muster as he hugged her. “I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Dimitri passed the device to her, as well as his clothes as he stripped. Once he was naked, he took the shard of Areadbhar and transformed into his demonic beast form. Claws scraped against the stone floor as his hulking form appeared, shaking his head as he readjusted himself to his other body. He pressed his face gently against Byleth, and she reached up to run her hand against his scales before pressing her forehead against him too.

She closed her eyes and dipped her toe into the abyss, seeing that ball of blue light again.

_ I’m sorry. You deserve a better man than I. _

Was that what he really thought? Byleth pressed her body into his face and quietly comforted him. She missed her voice.

\---

Byleth and Dimitri waited outside the cemetery for the Blue Lions, eventually spotting familiar faces moving up the stairs. Dedue was the one that looked the most surprised, not used to seeing the prince like this out of all of them, while Seteth and Flayn looked mildly horrified. The two had been warned about Dimitri’s condition, but considering why they were in the Empire it unsettled them. Dimitri’s eye flickered over to them, before nudging Byleth once and walking off.

“Is he… safe in that body?” Seteth said, staying close to Flayn in a protective stance. Byleth nodded, though it didn’t help much that the rest of the Blue Lions didn’t quite agree with them. They were well informed of the prince's condition but it was hard knowledge to swallow. Hanneman went off to follow the prince, followed by Gilbert. Rodrigue glanced at Felix who still stood by Annette's side and left without saying a word. He knew his own son well.

Flayn walked slowly towards Byleth, her legs shaking from her frail state. The professor went to steady her, catching the young mage's hands in hers.

"Oh! Thank you, profess-" Flayn grew distracted by the scar that ran across her neck. Recognition. The young mage widened her eyes, then softened into sadness as she reached up to touch the scar.

She glanced back at her brother, who seemed to know something as well before she turned back to the professor. "That's… a terrible curse you have on you."

_ Curse? _Byleth's mouth fell agape. Flayn looked towards Seteth once more as Manuela approached the three.

"We should speak at the infirmary," Manuela said. She looked just as surprised as Byleth after overhearing what she said. They nodded, and together they escorted the two weakened survivors towards the reception hall. The physician looked surprised, then came at her own conclusion with the way her brows knitted. “Of course… A curse….”

\---

Byleth closed her eyes as Flayn ran her fingers along her scar again. The two women sat on the infirmary bed next to each other as Seteth and Manuela watched closely.

"We've seen a lot of dark magic being used at the Empire," Seteth said. "And… we've seen the prolonged effects. Flayn believes she can recognise them."

"I-I'm not sure about that, but I can definitely feel something still lingering in her body," Flayn said, concentrating on the professor. "How do I put it…. Dark magic is powerful, and much more malice than black magic for certain. But, I think the reason why dark magic is so powerful is because it carries some… debilitating effects."

"In other words," Seteth said, looking at the physician, "They weaken your body to strengthen the impact of the spell."

“Well, I feel fortunate that I’ve never been on the receiving end of that… no offence, professor. But I suppose the reason why I couldn’t find a lot on these sorts of injuries was because not many people survive dark magic attacks,” Manuela said, crossing her arms. “I can’t help but feel embarrassed. I should’ve realised-”

“Oh! Don’t be, Professor Manuela.” The physician looked at the young woman, sitting up. “I noticed the effect disappears after a while, but…” Flayn looked up to Byleth, starring at the blackened skin, “I’m so sorry, professor. You must’ve endured a lot of dark magic to have it persist for this long.”

Byleth hummed, thinking about her time with Hubert. It hadn’t been long, but the torture was intense. If it weren’t for her crest and Dimitri she would’ve died there, her body being pushed to its limits.

“At any rate-” Manuela said, “We should develop a spell that can remove it. Maybe then your voice could heal properly? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” Byleth hummed. _ Yes. Yes, it would. _

“Then let’s get started!” the young woman said, enthusiastically. 

“You’re in no condition to do that, Flayn,” the man said, “You still need your rest.”

“But-”

“No buts. Look- I’m sorry, professor, but please understand where I’m coming from. Once we take a few more days to recover our strength-”

“I’m fine! Brother…” The young woman pouted as she stared daggers at him. Manuela stepped in, trying to defuse the tension and calming the distressed man. Byleth rubbed her neck, empathizing with Seteth. They both still looked weak, their skin pale and bodies too thin. They had signs of anemia which made their dedication to join her at Ashe’s funeral even more impressive. Byleth sighed. Her voice could wait.

Byleth turned and smiled at Flayn. _ It's- okay-. Rest-. _She mouthed. She did it a few more times to get the message across and the young mage nodded. She could see the eagerness in Flayn’s eyes start to mellow out, followed by a drowsiness that had begun to resurface.

"Well… alright. If you insist." Byleth noticed Seteth's relief, his body relaxing as he laid down on the bed. Flayn did so as well, taking her place on the soft mattress. However, Manuela took out her notepad and began inscribing some glyphs, waving white magic in the air with her finger. Byleth sat next to her, Manuela brushing her hand against her neck once in a while to help her get a head start on the spell.

The professor couldn’t help but feel excited about it. An odd feeling, like she couldn’t sit still and her patience was already running thin, but in a good way. She used to grow excited about things like looking forward to a good meal, though never to this level. Energy coursed through her body, inspiring her to move and act. Manuela couldn’t help but take a break from her notes, catching onto Byleth’s mood. She smiled, an expression that was mirroring hers.

“It won’t be much longer, professor,” Manuela said, inspiration shining in her eyes.

\---

Byleth gave the physician some peace and quiet to concentrate once she got what she needed from her. The professor felt her stomach growl and decided it was around the right time to grab a quick meal before returning to her duties. She had planned to sit in the war council this afternoon and relay information to Dimitri while he was letting his crest recover.

When she entered the dining hall, she thought she heard the Blue Lions chatting inside. However, they were nowhere to be seen as Byleth entered the warm-lit interior and looked around. She heard Annette’s voice again and realised it was coming from outside.

Byleth stepped to the side to peer through the doorway opposite to where she had entered and spotted a few chairs set up in the sun. On closer inspection, they were huddled around a familiar demonic beast who was currently curled up in their own body.

The professor watched them from a distance while she waited. She noticed how most of the grief the Blue Lions felt had begun to shift into warmth and kindness. They spoke happily, a bittersweet mood along with the sharing of food that lifted their spirits. 

Once her tray of food was ready, and she took it outside to meet the Blue Lions.

“Oh! Hello professor,” Mercedes said. “Come join us!”

Byleth looked at the circle of people that ate their meals from their lap. Some people held bowls, others had sandwiches in their hands. Dimitri left his tray of food untouched, his claws tucked underneath his body. He looked almost like he was moping, unable to eat his meal and nobody offering to feed him. Byleth had a feeling he wouldn’t take kindly to having food tossed into his mouth from a distance either.

“We thought I’d be nice to eat with the prince for once,” Sylvain said.

“He does look a bit like a cornered animal though…” Annette muttered, staring at the beast. Dedue looked like he was about to defend his honour, though kept silent. It was hard to not agree. Dimitri shifted, huffing as he looked towards Byleth. She could see the effort he was putting in to enjoy the company but it was still difficult for somebody his size.

Byleth set her food down and brought a chair of her own, taking her place next to Dimitri. The prince cocked his head up towards her inquisitively then back down at his food. He had been given a hearty sandwich though there was no way for him to eat it without damaging the tray and plate. His claws could even dig out the smoothed stone flooring if he wasn’t careful. How did the Blue Lions even manage to guide him into this spot? The professor smiled, then leaned down to grab the food.

The Blue Lions halted their conversations, staring nervously at the professor as she raised the sandwich to Dimitri’s mouth. She met his gaze and nodded. _ Just like before. _

Dimitri opened his fangs, Annette suppressing a squeak as he took a bite. Once she felt the bread being hooked onto his sharpened teeth, Byleth let go. The prince swallowed the comically tiny piece of food though he still enjoyed it regardless. The professor took the other half of the sandwich and fed it to him the same way, sensing their fears of Byleth losing her fingers right in front of them. Dimitri ate the sandwich and the professor turned to the group, shrugging. Felix looked cold, the blood draining from his face as he averted his eyes to the side.

“That was… nerve-wracking,” the dark-haired knight said. Byleth couldn’t help but notice how he looked conflicted, grumpily taking another spoonful of his meal. _ The prince isn’t as much of a boar as you thought, huh? _

“It kind of looks like the two of you had practic-” Ingrid paused, face going red. She suddenly looked embarrassed, taken aback by her own sudden thoughts.

“Why are you getting all flustered?” Sylvain asked, nudging her on the shoulder. She snapped out of it and slapped him on the arm, the man wincing from the blow.

“Sorry. I wasn’t sure if that was an appropriate thing to ask…” Ingrid said.

“What’s so inappropriate about that?” Dedue said, looking at her curiously.

“Well, um…” Ingrid held her breath, whining quietly as she hesitated on asking a question she held in. With a gasp, she got it out of her system, “When did you and Dimitri start becoming lovers?”

“So forward-”

“Shut it, Sylvain. Don’t tell me you weren’t curious too!” Ingrid said, pointing at Byleth and Dimitri. The other Blue Lions seem to be agreeing, voicing their speculations on when it had started. The couple looked at each other, feeling uncomfortably singled out. It wasn’t like them to display their love for each other in public… or maybe they have been doing more than they thought. It was hard to pick them out considering how many gestures had turned into habits.

The conversation stalled, then began to die when everyone remembered neither of them could actually speak at the moment. That realisation made Ingrid blush harder, face red as a tomato as she tried to eject herself from her embarrassment. Of course, Sylvain started to prod at her more.

Byleth smiled, feeling sorry for the female knight and set her food down. She knelt in front of Ingrid and started to mouth some words slowly to her. The professor couldn’t quite place when they started turning into lovers. It had just grown to this point naturally. There were a few moments that came to mind, one that she couldn’t tell because it revealed her goddess powers, but one that might work as a satisfactory answer for now. She tapped her throat.

_ When- Dimitri- saved- me- from- being- tortured- by- the- Empire-. _

That was the moment when she felt like he no longer took her for granted. From that moment on Dimitri treated her like somebody he truly cared about, and it showed (though the protectiveness was overbearing sometimes). Byleth still wouldn’t call that the definitive moment that started it all, it was still a start. 

Ingrid blinked at those words, then hummed in understanding. “That’s… actually quite romantic. L-like the stuff you read in books. Huh.”

Felix snorted, “The boar? Romantic? Oh please.”

“I think you’d be surprised to know otherwise,” Sylvain said. The red-haired knight turned to wink at the demonic beast. Dimitri almost recoiled from being on the receiving end of that, claws slightly scraping against the stone beneath him. Byleth looked at the prince as well, slightly more accusatory than playful.

_ Just what did you tell him? _

Dimitri huffed, averting his gaze and trying to ignore the conversation.

“But how would you-,” Annette was interrupted by Mercedes bringing her hand to her mouth. The white mage’s held her composure well save for the creeping embarrassment with how tense her shoulders were. Felix looked at the black mage, eyes wide and surprised she even mentioned something like that.

Byleth sunk back into her seat, returning to her meal. Not being able to speak was a good reason to avoid explaining how she could get intimate with Dimitri. Though, to her joy or eventual shame, that wouldn’t be an excuse for long.


	25. The Visitors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spell check keeps yelling at me for misspelling Seteth and Flayn lol

The past few days without Dimitri at her side during the war council felt like skinning an animal pelt with a blunt dagger. There were so many words being thrown around with little actual progress. She didn’t envy Gilbert or Rodrigue’s position, they were certainly adept in managing the army and the monastery's resources. They were just in a difficult situation from how behind they had gotten in the war, arguing over the best course of action to take next.

"We've just taken two of the most valuable assets from the Empire," Gilbert said, rubbing his temples. The war council listened to the old knight, Byleth writing notes for Dimitri to read later. "From what Seteth has told us, we should focus on developing our defences for Garreg Mach rather than continuing our push for retaking Faerghus."

"We should've never saved them in the first place," one of the members said, raising their voice.

"If we didn't, they would've had more demonic beasts to trample us on a later date," Rodrigue said. "Seteth and Flayn's crests are rare, and if the Empire can no longer access their blood then their army strength would be at a standstill."

"Then what about our armies? If we keep taking blows without gathering reinforcements from the Kingdom then we will fall. The Alliance refuses to take a side and we’re running low on allies to call upon."

"Actually," Gilbert said, tossing a letter to the distressed member. "We may have a chance to receive aid from the Alliance. This message arrived yesterday. '' The councilman looked surprised, taking the sheet of paper to read it. Byleth reached out to have a look as well, glancing at the message while the conversation continued.

"Two representatives from the Alliance is not reinforcements, it's-"

"But if we can appeal to them when they arrive, they might support our cause."

"With Claude von Riegan and his schemes? Unlikely, unless we pay a heavy price."

Byleth refolded the letter, set it back on the desk and stood up. The council was talking in circles again and she found herself wanting to escape the meeting. She nodded to them all, taking her notes before leaving them be. The professor didn't care much for their speculation regarding Claude, Marianne or Ignatz. She was simply looking forward to seeing them again and hearing their opinions from their own mouths.

She found Dimitri in the stables with Hanneman currently running tests on him. The night had begun to settle and they looked like they were wrapping up. The crest researcher treated him like he was still trying to find a cure to turn the prince back into a human, tapping his notepad with a determined expression. It was still beneficial research, and fortunately for Hanneman, he didn’t feel as stressed knowing there was already a secret cure.

Dimitri's head poked up when he spotted the professor and approached, almost shoving past the researcher as he gave a surprised noise. She sighed as she wrapped her arms around his head, burned out by the war meeting again. It was a frustrating sensation, wishing that she could one day stomach the stress of politics without always leaving early. Hanneman packed up his tools, smiling as he passed by the professor.

"He's getting better," he said. "Though I suggest he stay like this for a bit longer. Being a half-beast will never be good on his body. Unfortunately, my crest suppression device wasn’t as effective as I hoped considering how his crest fractures a different way every time he shifts slightly.”

Dimitri begrudgingly took the information, nodding at the researcher with a grunt. It meant he would need to sleep in the stables again.

Hanneman took his leave and Byleth kissed the prince on the forehead. _ Oh, don’t look so down. _She could see it in his glare that he already missed sleeping with her in her room. Dimitri stormed as non-destructively as he could into the large building, Byleth frowning at his obvious frustrations.

Byleth looked around, taking a quick check of her surroundings before following Dimitri into his pen.

The prince eyed her curiously as he settled down on a patch of old cloth that was laid out for him. The professor joined him on the ground, back pressed against his hard scaled body and sighed. She’s slept in worse before. She knows they’ve both slept in worse together.

Byleth reminded herself to show Dimitri the notes she had gathered, including the information regarding the Alliance. He looked hopeful knowing that Claude was essentially sending his people to test the waters of support, but he didn’t think much of it otherwise. With not much else to discuss, Byleth closed her eyes and tried to get some rest.

Of course, the prince wasn’t satisfied with Byleth putting up with her sleeping arrangement. Dimitri shifted beneath her, nudging her to move with him. Dimitri pressed Byleth against his warm underbelly, not as tough as the rest of his body, and curled around her protectively. It was kind of like a nest of warm hardened flesh. It’d certainly help with keeping the night breeze at bay. Smiling, she hummed and closed her eyes, the prince humming back at her.

\---

The stables were close to the gate, and with that came the added advantage of waking up to commotion. Dimitri and Byleth were startled awake at the sound of guards rushing past the stables. Had Marianne and Ignatz arrived? The professor looked at the soldiers, weapons drawn and looking serious. Maybe not.

The two of them burst from the stables, startling some of the working stablehands. One of them dropped a bundle of hay as the two of them ran towards the gates, Byleth dusting her cloak as it fluttered in the air. The marketplace held the tension of a hundred nervous breaths, people gathered and froze in places, unsure of what to do. Guards held their positions, some of them slowly inching towards the gate with their spears drawn.

Standing at the entrance were two familiar faces. One with short-purple hair, another with a mark below her eye.

Byleth felt the pain in her chest again. A churning sensation that wanted her to punish them. To take a sword still hot from the forge nearby and plunge it through their teeth, hearing their cries of regret and agony. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, setting those thoughts aside. The professor needed to be better than that. She needed to set an example of who she wanted to be.

_ Stand down. _Byleth placed her hand on the nearby guard who didn’t recognise her at first from how on edge they were. Dimitri carried a better presence with him as he strode down the steps, the clatter of claws against the ground notifying people to move out of the way.

Bernadetta and Petra were on their knees with spears currently pressed against their back. The two women held their hands in the air, Bernadetta wincing as Petra scowled. Byleth continued to shoo guards away, glancing over to the two Empire knights occasionally. They abandoned their arms on the ground, their weapons kicked away from them prior.

Once the professor got the guards to lower the spears, Dimitri approached and Bernadetta squawked in fear.

“P-Please-!” she said, “We’re not here as enemies. We swear!”

Byleth and Dimitri looked at each other, unsure of their motivations. Had they turned into spies or were they acting as messengers? The professor approached and knelt onto the ground in front of the nervous archer, gently placing her hand on the skittish archer’s head. Bernadetta winced, fearing for the worst when there was none and looked up, tears curling up the edges of her eyes.

_ It’s- okay-, _ Byleth mouthed. She tapped her throat, showing the blackened scar and mouthed the words again. _ It’s- okay-. _

The archer seemed to relax at the soothing gesture but still cried. She bowed forward, face now pressed onto the ground in front of her and wept. Bernadetta clutched onto Byleth’s sleeve like a child would to their parent.

“I-I’m so sorry!” Bernadetta wailed, “I-I didn’t mean too! I was so scared...”

Petra copied her, though slightly more dignified, bowing her head to the ground as well. Her body shook slightly, failing to hide the tears that were pouring from her eyes too.

Byleth caught the glares of the surrounding people, a mix of confusion and anger. Petra and Bernadetta were from the Empire, a force they had been fighting against for years. She could see their wish in their eyes, pleading for their heads. The professor glanced up at Dimitri, his expression unreadable as he waited for Byleth to make her move, ready to support her decision. In the distance, she spotted a few Blue Lions heading her way, drawn in by the commotion. Byleth stared back at Petra and Bernadetta, slowing her breathing. They were at her mercy.

_ Set your example. _

Byleth tapped Bernadetta on the shoulder, the archer still fearing her judgement. She looked up slowly and, with all the pain and sorrow Byleth felt resurfacing in her heart, hugged the young woman. The archer gasped, stunned at the kind gesture, Petra looking just as shocked. She reached over, her fingers numb from forcing herself to care for her student’s murderers, and pulled Petra in for a hug as well. Forgiveness had never felt this difficult, but she felt some semblance of peace that washed over her.

Byleth was still their professor at heart, and she felt fulfilled knowing she had a chance to guide them on the right path.

She heard Dimitri grunt behind her and she spun, looking towards the figures that shoved through the crowd.

Annette took one glance at them and looked horrified, stepping away with Mercedes following her. Felix crossed his arms, glare as sharp as the blade he wielded. Dedue and Sylvain kept silent, unsure of what to make of the situation. Ingrid looked the most furious out of all of them, her glare carrying a torrent of raw hatred.

“What are _ they _doing here?” Ingrid said, snatching a spear from a nearby guard. Dimitri stepped between her and Byleth which caused the female knight to deepen her frown. “They. Are. Our. Enemy.”

_ No. The Empire is the enemy. Not them. _Byleth stood up and tried to mouth words to Ingrid but she didn’t process them, blinded by her rage.

“We defect,” Petra said, nervous at the sight of the drawn weapon. “We no longer serve Emperor Edelgard. We wish to serve you instea-”

“Lies!” Ingrid stood another step forward, Dimitri growling at her now. “Why should we trust Ashe’s murderers?”

The female knight flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Sylvain smiled at her weakly. He carried the same darkness in his expression but held in his anger well. He lowered Ingrid’s spear, the knight looking at him with red in her eyes.

Sylvain looked towards the two Empire defectors and sighed, “If we don’t trust them then at least put them in a cell. Things don’t have to end in bloodshed all the time.”

“But Sylvain, they-”

“I know what they did,” the red-haired knight affirmed, taking his stance against Ingrid’s moment of irrationality. “But we’re better than this. I know you are. You wouldn’t take the lives of soldiers who had surrendered, would you?”

“But-”

“I know. I feel angry too,” Sylvain said, grabbing Ingrid’s shoulders with both hands. Her eyes widened. “But save the killing for the battlefield, when killing means we live another day. Look at them. Do they look like a threat to you?”

Ingrid gasped, heavily breathing as she looked between him and Bernadetta. Sylvain didn’t waver at her hesitation, a pillar for the knight while she was lost in her own mind. The grip around her spear went limp, then the weapon fell out of her hands. Sylvain pulled her into his chest, the knight now crying into her friend’s shirt.

“I can’t lose any of you again,” she cried, hiding her face from the people. Sylvain nodded to the surrounding people and began to escort her away. Byleth caught the red-haired knight’s eye in the crowd. _ Thank you. _

Dedue stepped forward, his face a steel mask as he steadied his emotions. “I do agree with Sylvain. We should put them in a cell until we figure out if we can trust them or not.”

Byleth frowned. She agreed too. She looked towards Petra and Bernadetta apologetically, though neither of them looked bitter.

“That would be best, “Petra said, lowering her head in another bow. “Thank you, Dedue, and thank you, professor.”

Dimitri stepped aside as guards arrived with chains, placing shackles over the two women’s wrists and legs before escorting them through Garreg Mach. The people surrounding them still looked angry, quietly stewing over their desire for vengeance. Byleth felt a bit of that bleed into her, hatred beginning to pool in her direction.

Byleth closed her eyes, taking in the emotions. She would not give in to her feelings like them. She had to be more than what people wanted to expect from her. Maybe then she could begin to guide people to a better future, one without a reason for war.

She opened her eyes with a sigh and was surprised to spot Seteth in the crowd. The man stood tall despite still recovering, though he looked much better than he did before. Byleth broke away from the two Empire fighters being escorted, Dimitri still following as much as he could with the guard, as she approached Seteth.

“They say that passion is the strongest tool for a leader,” he began, Byleth stepping alongside him as he began to take a stroll. “That a good speech with conviction to inspire a crowd and coaxing the flames of the people’s motivation will carry you to victory.” He stopped, turning towards the professor. “I disagree, and I appreciate what you did there. I’ve seen many leaders who sacrifice their ideals to appease the people, only to fall under the weight of their scattered promises.”

Byleth smiled. It was a mutual understanding between the two of them. Both had endured the responsibility of leadership for quite some time, Seteth much longer than her. He was the closest to Lady Rhea now, and the professor felt comfort in knowing she wasn’t alone in carrying the Archbishop teachings anymore.

“But onto other matters, I was supposed to pass a message from Flayn,” Seteth said. Byleth froze, staring into the man’s eyes as she waited for the news. He smiled at her, “The spell is ready.”


	26. The Cure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoop another smut chapter here we go folks

Byleth sat on the wooden seat in the infirmary, holding her breath. She fidgeted with her fingers on her lap as she watched Manuela trace a glowing line of magic in the air several times. Flayn and Seteth watched closely, the young woman occasionally stepping in to help correct the physician’s movements. Manuela breathed out a long breath, her eyes flickering towards the professor.

“I think I’m ready now,” she said. She closed her book of notes which was littered with several glyphs, all merging into one spell. Manuela pulled a chair in front of a professor and sat down, a bead of sweat trickling down her forehead from her practising. “Now I’m not sure if this will hurt or not, but I’m going to draw the curse out and it might drain some of your magic with it. Will that be fine?”

Byleth nodded. She had nothing to fear. If she was able to endure the torture in the first place, this would probably pale in comparison. The physician took her time, steading her hand and Flayn stood up. The young mage placed her hand on Manuela’s shoulder, a faint light from her fingertips.

“Just in case you need a bit of help,” Flayn said, smiling. A lot of colour had returned to her cheeks, her body filling out after several days of rest and recovering. She was starting to look a lot like herself to everyone’s relief. The physician nodded at her, before looking intently at Byleth.

Manuela began to weave a spell in front of the professor’s scar, light blinding the bottom half of her vision. Her skin started to tingle, feeling the effects of healing magic as the scar pinched uncomfortably. Then, it started to burn, Byleth holding in a wince.

The professor dug her fingernails into her leg as she noticed a trail of dark smoke began to swirl with the glowing white magic. It pulled from her skin and, when she opened her mouth to breathe, escaped from her lips as well. Byleth felt a burning cold grate unsettlingly within her throat, the smoke trying to hold itself down as it was forcefully dragged away from her body. Manuela’s finger began to twitch, wavering as she struggled against this dark force.

Flayn’s magic glowed brighter, pouring more of her power into Manuela as she continued to pull away the curse, bit by bit. Byleth wheezed, feeling like she was being choked as more smoke poured from her mouth. Too much darkness began to envelop the white magic, some of the smoke even curling around Manuela’s finger. But the physician didn’t lose concentration. She fought back and light pushed against the curse, eating away at it continued to seep out of Byleth.

The professor glanced down to see black flakes of skin begin to join in that swirl of smoke and magic, lifting from her scar. It swirled in the white magic, before crumbling into the air and disappearing. Byleth felt the warmth return to her body, her shoulders relaxing as Manuela’s spell subsided. The professor reached up to touch her neck and found it to be bleeding.

Flayn stepped in for the exhausted physician, Manuela slumped back in the chair as Seteth went to check on her. Flayn didn’t hesitate as she placed her hand against the now open wound on the professor’s neck, green light growing from beneath her palm. Blood trickled onto Blyeth’s clothes as the wound started to close, skin stitching together by the power of the spell. Soon, she no longer felt the sting of an open cut and the young mage sighed, pulling her bloodied hand away from the professor.

There was a breathless moment, everyone standing around in silence and trying to process what had happened.

“...Well? How are you feeling?” Flayn asked. Seteth and Manuela looked to Byleth, eager to know if the spell had worked. Byleth cleared her throat, running her fingers across where her scar had been.

She… hadn’t realised she was enduring a chill in her body for this long. Byleth must’ve gotten used to how cold she felt while she was travelling with Dimitri in the forest. The professor closed her eyes, feeling the thin line across her skin, and opened her mouth.

“T-thank you,” Byleth said.

Manuela, Seteth, and Flayn froze, the physician the most surprised out of the three of them. Byleth felt shocked as well, barely recognising her voice after not speaking for so long. Flayn hopped in place, her bloodied hand accidentally smearing across her clothes as she laughed. The young mage went to hug Byleth, followed by Manuela who stumbled to the professor’s side with a beaming grin. Seteth smiled from a distance, Byleth had enough to deal with at the moment.

Manuela wiped a tear from her eye, careful not to ruin her makeup and calmed herself. “Alright. Your voice will still be weak, so hold off on talking for a bit even though I know you… Oh, this is so wonderful!”

“Well done, professor Manuela!” Flayn exclaimed though the both of them started to look exhausted from the whole ordeal. Seteth stepped in with a damp cloth to wipe the young woman’s hands and guided her back to the infirmary bed.

“I’m going to take the rest of the day off now,” Manuela said, a drowsiness to her words. Byleth nodded and gave the physician one last hug before walking off towards her office.

\---

Byleth spent the rest of the day practising spells quietly, taking a break when she felt her voice go hoarse. The Blue Lions would find out sooner or later, but right now the professor was keen on reclaiming a power that had been barred from her for so long. She relished in the thought of how many more people she could save with this arsenal at her fingertips again, to feel like her efforts were whole once more.

She weaved fire in the air, hopping from finger to finger before she snapped it into a shard of ice that scattered into dust. She then summoned a ball of light, a source of healing magic which she danced through the room and passing it through her body. She would never do this in a battle, only indulging in the spectacle for this moment in time.

Still infected by the joy from Flayn and Manuela, the professor hummed happily, then realising she did not need to anymore. She rubbed her throat, hands running through her neck several times today already. The professor felt an odd desire rise within her, a moment she remembered Lady Rhea doing one night. Singing. Byleth had returned from the goddess tower to run into the Archbishop singing a song that Sothis recognised. What were the words again?

Byleth left her room to walk out onto the Star Terrace, the rooftop garden on the third floor of the building. She stared up into the sky that greeted her with glinting specs in the darkness and found joy swelling from within her chest. The moon illuminated her stage, raining down soft light upon her as she smiled.

This was what happiness felt like. She felt every inch of her soul lifted by an energy that made her feel light, a carelessness that made her want to dance and feel the air brush against the fabric of her clothes.

Emotion. This was what emotion could do to her. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth.

_ In time’s flow, see the glow, of flames ever burning bright. _

_ On a swift, river’s drift, broken memories alight. _

Her voice travelled through the air, Byleth feeling the rush beginning to subside into satisfaction. It felt strange to no longer feel like the Ashen Demon, void of any expression when she fought. Instead, she felt more like a person.

The professor placed her hand on her chest, blowing air out of her nostrils as she relaxed. Her heart still didn’t beat, but she felt like it would’ve in this situation. Byleth couldn’t help but think how she was more vulnerable now, more susceptible to break under pressure. Perhaps that would be fine. If she knew this feeling would be waiting for her amidst the grief and sadness, she was willing to endure.

The sound of commotion from below caught her attention. A few surprised yelps from people and guards, followed by a loud series of footsteps. A messenger delivering something urgent to her? The steps gained in speed, slowing as she assumed they were heading up the stairs, eventually sounding like they made it to the third floor. She prepared herself for the interaction, brushing her hair behind her ear as she turned.

Dimitri stood by the doorway, naked and panting. He rested one scaled arm on the doorframe as he used his other to wipe the sweat on his brow. The prince stared at her wide-eyed, looking at her as though he had just witnessed a miracle.

“Dimitri,” Byleth said and the prince gasped at her voice. He approached her, cautiously, feeling as though he was about to touch something frail, before dashing up to her and sweeping the professor in his arms.

“So it was your voice!” Dimitri said, laughing as he swung her around in the air. “When I heard you, I-”

Byleth stopped him with a kiss, then tugged him inside. “You’re still not safe in that body,” she said, taking him to her room and closing the door. She twisted the lock before closing her eyes and reached towards the blinding blue light in the abyss.

_ Release. _

Areadbhar fell out of Dimitri and he stumbled back, Byleth catching him in an embrace. The prince returned the gesture, his arms wrapping around her body. His fingers curled in her hair as he pressed his face into her body, melding into the warmth of her body. He held onto her like she could disappear at any moment, desperation mixed with happiness.

“How did it-?”

“Manuela and Flayn,” Byleth said, stroking Dimitri’s hair gently, “They lifted the curse on my body- Dimitri. I love you. You do not need to fear not being enough of a man. I chose you as you are right now.”

The prince stilled, his grip tightening around Byleth as she said those words. She felt tears from the man drip onto her clothes and she pulled away to see Dimitri’s face. He gazed at her with all the wonder in the world, a wish fulfilled. He needed to hear those words for some time now.

Tenderly, she went for another kiss, a hint of salt as their lips collided. Byleth idly rubbed her hands across the prince’s torso as he swirled his fingers around her green hair, getting lost in one other. Things started to grow more heated, arousal beginning to sweep between the both of them. She missed his touch so much. She wanted his hands all over her and to feel his body against hers. The prince prompted Byleth to hop into his arms, catching her while barely breaking from the kiss. They moved towards the nearby wall and he pinned her against it, a heavy thud causing Byleth to grunt before they continued the kiss.

“I want to hear your voice more,” Dimitri whispered in her ear. He ground against the apex of her legs and she moaned, blushing heavily at the sound of her own arousal. The prince started to trail a row of nips and kisses down her neck, eliciting more and more noises from her. It only made Dimitri grow harder, Byleth feeling his smile across her skin.

The prince walked over to her bed, muscles tensing as he carried the professor with no issue and set her down. Byleth felt a twisting ache in her stomach that craved for him, her mind a haze as she went in for another kiss. She started to shed her clothes with the help of Dimitri, his strong fingers peeling away the fabric. The chill of the air made her skin tingle at the cold droplets of sweat that had been forming on her body. She gasped for air, reaching up to brush her hair out of her face as she stared at Dimitri looming over her.

The prince smiled, then crawled on top of her. The mattress creaked as the two of them shifted into position. Byleth raised an eyebrow.

“Can’t hurt me this time,” she said. Dimitri chuckled, then brought his hand between her legs. He stroked his fingers down her inner thigh, getting closer to her sex. Byleth gasped, reaching up to dig her fingernails into his arms.

“You’re right,” the prince said, pressing his fingers between her folds. Byleth moaned, squinting her eyes as Dimitri toyed with her. That felt overwhelming good. It was nothing she had ever experienced before, unable to control her body as she moved to the sensation of being touched that way. The prince used his other hand to grasp her breast, feeling the softness in his palm. “You sound like the heavens, Byleth.”

While the professor was drowning in bliss, she still had the mind to thinking about Dimitri’s desires. She shifted her leg up and tried to stroke his cock, the prince hissing and biting his lip before pinning her down, stopping Byleth.

“No. This is about you tonight,” he said, hands parting her legs wider. “I’ll have my moment soon.” Dimitri continued to play with her, drawing out every dirty noise that Byleth didn’t know she was capable of making. Her fingernails had already drawn angry red lines down his arm in desperation to hold on to her losing mind. The prince leaned down again and began to suck the skin behind her jaw, Byleth shivering at the sensitive spot.

“I may not be a beast at the moment,” Dimitri said, his voice tickling her, “But I can still smell how delightful you are. I can smell how much you want me. You like this, don’t you?”

Byleth hummed, barely able to respond as she tried to nod. The prince chuckled, breath against her neck as his movements quickened. The professor’s toes started to curl at a building pressure in her core. She threw her head to the side, pressing her face into the mattress as her body was being pushed to the edge. She gasped for breath, the prince staring at the way she fell apart for him.

Then suddenly, shr shiverer in delight, warmth overtaking her body as a long, drawn-out moan escape from her lips. It was loud, and Byleth reached up to cover her mouth as her skin tingled in a pleasant sensation. Dimitri laughed, moving her hand away from her face.

“There’s no need to be shy,” the prince said. Byleth nodded again, pressing her lips in a thin line as tried to find her bearings again. She lazily reached up to run her fingers down Dimitri’s sculpted chest, feeling the hardness of his body as she sighed.

“I love you,” Byleth said.

“Keep saying that,” Dimitri said, helping the professor sit up. He guided her to go on her hands and knees, her ass facing him in the air. She felt so exposed in this position, yet anticipation bubbled in her for what might happen next. “Keep drowning out the voices in my head.” He placed his hands on her hips and Byleth groaned when she felt the tip of his length brush against her sex. “Your voice is the only one I need.”

Byleth clutched the sheets of her bed as Dimitri’s length sunk into her core, crying into the mattress. It filled her insides, the prince slow with his entry as the professor saw stars in her mind. He supported her body with one arm around her waist, leaning forward to kiss her shoulder.

“Are you alright?” he asked, Byleth adjusting to the feeling of him being in her. “Say that you’re alright, my love.”

She let out a breath she had held in, dreamily blinking as she glanced towards him. She hummed, barely able to find the mind to speak. Dimitri chuckled, pressing his lips against her ear, “Say it.”

“Mmm- Y-yes. Yes, I’m al-alright,” Byleth mumbled, forcing the words out. This pleased the prince. He kissed her once more on the shoulder before he started to move, doing long and slow thrusts. Byleth returned to muffling her voice, pressing her face into the mattress as she felt the delicious sensations Dimitri was introducing to her.

The prince grunted from above her, barely able to hold in his own noises either. “I… ah- you’re wonderful. Beautiful- ngh- I l-love you. Goddess, I love you so much.”

His thrusts started to quicken, his grip faltering around her waist. He growled, then paused his momentum to flip Byleth to her back. She gasped, the wind briefly knocked out of her chest then again when he re-entered her with this new angle. Byleth could now see the prince’s whole body tensing, sweat dripping from him as he moved against her. His whole body was flushed with red, lips parted and eyes squinted shut as he was overwhelmed by the sensations too.

Byleth wrapped her legs around him as she brought her hands to his back, holding on as their bodies were driven by their need for one another. More fingernails. More moans. More sweat as Dimitri hurried his pace even more. He bit his lip, hissing as he appeared to be reaching his limit.

Byleth went first, her body going through a similar warm tingle like before. Her muscles seized, shivering at the pleasure that washed over her body before going slightly limp. Dimitri kissed her as she eased out of it though he still kept his own pace. Soon after, the prince moaned, hands curling into a fist as Byleth felt something hot fill her insides. Dimitri panted, chest heaving as he thrust a few more times. He collapsed on top of her, sighing satisfyingly as Byleth struggled to push him off her.

She laughed, eventually rolling him to the side and to his back. Dimitri looked happily exhausted, his blonde hair stuck to his smiling face. Byleth leaned in, brushing the hairs away slowly, the prince staring up at her while she did. Once it was all clear, she kissed him and collapsed on his chest. He reached up to rub lazy circles on her back, Byleth making a noise of approval.

\---

Byleth went to Manuela for a check-up for her throat the next morning. The physician didn’t look too surprised at her visit, rather, it appeared she was more than just expecting her. Byleth frowned at her, curious at the smug expression on her face.

“Now, I’m all for having a little fun once in a while,” Manuela said, sliding a bottle of medicine towards her. Byleth caught it and read the label, “But you need to take care of yourself. War isn’t the right time to have kids, you know.”

Byleth blushed. She had been so wrapped up in her emotions that this had gone straight through her mind. Byleth tapped a pill out of the bottle and swallowed it with a cup of water the physician had ready as well. The professor sighed, setting down the glass.

“You’re lucky Seteth and Flayn were discharged that afternoon. I don’t think Seteth would’ve forgiven you if Flayn had heard what the two of you were doing.”

Byleth cringed, nervously raising her shoulders. _ Was it that loud? _

Manuela chuckled, shaking her head, “Have your voice back yet you still act like you don’t have one. Look, it’s no secret the two of you are lovers. It’s… well. People expect lovers to have sex once in a while. It’s normal. Though, it might be a little strange to some considering Dimitri has his claws and fangs and all.”

Manuela waved for Byleth to sit closer and she did, the physician reaching up to examine the faint scar, the professor blushing in embarrassment. To think that the moment she got her voice back she would use it to moan for Dimitri.

“Oh! And he left marks too! How adorable.”

“Manuela, please,” Byleth said, burying her face into her hands. The physician chuckled lightly, then placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.


	27. The Cell

Rain at Garreg Mach often turned into frost between the cobblestone steps and the smooth walkways. Byleth sat up from her bed and stared out the half-open window to her room, wondering about which cloak to wear today. The guards would have to watch their step during their patrols, possibly ask an off-duty mage to clear the way for them.

Dimitri groaned awake beside her, noticing the missing warmth at his side. After several stern warnings from Hanneman, the prince would have to sleep in the stables after this moment. He brushed his blonde hair out of his face to glance up at her, Byleth drawn in by the deep blue of his eye.

The mattress shifted as Dimitri sat up, bringing the sheets along with him to wrap him and Byleth up together. He looked out into the rain as well, his hand holding the professor's as they both watched the scattering of rain.

"I wish I could just hide here," Dimitri said, "Not a beast or a prince, but with you."

Byleth leaned her head against his shoulder and smiled. She understood that. The goddess' chosen wasn't an easy title to hide from either. They both had responsibilities that they wanted to escape from. A foolish dream, but at least it made her treasure these rare moments more.

Byleth crawled out of the comfort of the prince's side and started to put on clothes. Dimitri followed, ignoring Areadbhar on the ground and wrapping his arms around her waist as she put on her shirt. He bent down to rest his head on her shoulders, groaning softly into her ear. Dimitri was making it much harder for her to get on with her morning.

"What are your duties for today?" he asked.

"I've been meaning to speak with Petra and Bernadetta," Byleth said, trying to pull her clothes on around Dimitri's arms, "I dislike the way they are treated like prisoners."

"Then take my coat. It'll be cold down there."

Byleth turned to look at him, arching a brow. Dragging that thing across the rain-soaked ground and crippling her movement as it doubled in weight? Not likely. The prince chuckled then pulled away from her to pick up the heroes’ relic. It was still early enough that he wouldn't run into too many people. Dimitri grunted, darkness seeping from the weapon into his skin. He gasped, falling to one knee in his incomplete forms, claws and scales growing through his flesh.

Dimitri handled the transformations well, but instead he was crippled with the strain his body felt every time he did so. Dark veins across his body were common now, his blood rebelling within his own system. Things wouldn’t get easier for him for a long time.

Byleth went to his side, pressing her hand on his chest and cast a heal spell to soothe his aches. It was tough to decide what both of them were willing to risk spending time together. The professor felt pained knowing Dimitri would be isolated as a demonic beast.

The war needed to end soon. Not just for the Kingdom, but for Dimitri’s failing health too.

\---

Byleth concentrated on a spell as she made her way towards the chilly underground cells at Garreg Mach. It kept her and the basket she held under her arm warm and dry. This place wasn’t used often, many Empire soldiers would take their own lives rather than become a prisoner. The layer of dirt, dust and cobwebs, along with the assortment of skittering insects and rodents made Byleth shiver from the unwelcoming atmosphere.

Eventually, the professor arrived at the cell where Petra and Bernadetta were held. It was requested that they were left in the same cell together. Byleth knew that Bernadetta would loathe being isolated from her friend. It was the least amount of comfort that she could offer to the ‘enemy’.

The two women perked up at the sight of Byleth who didn’t hesitate as she unlocked their cell and joined them on the ground inside. She had brought along two cloaks for them to wear and set down the basket beside her.

“Oh… that is very kindness of you, professor,” Petra said, wrapping the fabric around her shoulders. “I do not like the cold.”

_ I know. I remembered.  _ Byleth smiled, then opened up the basket. Inside she pulled out a few bowls of food. Some meat stir-fry, a mix of steamed and spiced vegetables, a selection of sandwiches, and finally, some cakes for later.

Bernadetta lit up at the sight of the fluffy icing on top of the scrumptious looking pastries, her mouth watering shamelessly.

Byleth grabbed a sandwich for herself and took a bite. She then gestured for the other two to eat, pulling out cutlery from the basket for them to use.

“I asked the cooks if they remembered what you ordered the most. I hope this is satisfactory,” Byleth said before taking another bite.

Petra and Bernadetta glanced at each other, surprised, then looked back at the professor.

“Professor, your voice. I thought Hubert…” Bernadetta fidgetted. Byleth swallowed her bite, letting the silence draw out as she thought of what to say.

“Yes. Hubert tortured me with dark magic and left a curse behind. It was lifted recently,” Byleth said, then started to heap food onto empty plates before handing it towards the two women. The archer stumbled back, startled by the gesture. “Don’t worry, the food is fresh..”

Petra took her plate first, slowly eating through the large serving of meat stir fry that quickened in pace. Byleth could see the joy in her eyes to taste a delicious warm meal after so long, especially on such a cold day. Bernadetta still hesitated to take her plate, staring down at Byleth’s hand. Her eyelids lowered, lips trembling as she raised her arm to wipe the corner of her eye.

“I don’t deserve this from you, professor,” Bernadetta said, “Please don’t be this nice to me.”

Byleth considered her words, then ignored them, kneeling forward to place it into the purple-haired woman’s hands. She reached over for a fork and slid it into her hands, Bernadetta half-heartedly grabbing onto it. Petra watched silently, gauging their actions closely.

“P-please,” Bernadetta repeated, eyes glistening with tears ready to streak down her cheek.

“You’re right, you don’t deserve this,” Byleth said bluntly. The archer stilled, then looked up to the professor with confusion. The professor sighed, placing her hand on top of Bernadetta’s and wrapping her cold fingers in the warmth of her palm. Emotions had made her sound contradictory as of recently. “I understand why you had to kill Ashe. We were your enemy, and if you didn’t defend yourself you would die. Simple. As his professor, I’m pained by his death… but also as a professor, I must give you some advice. We all have something we regret, Bernadetta, and I don’t want to see you dwell in your own self-hatred. I want to see you learn from your experiences. Move on.”

“T-that’s easy for you to say,” the archer said, pulling her hand away from Byleth. The plate clattered to the ground, some of the food spilling onto the ground. “I’m not like you! I-I don’t have that kind of resolve!”

“No. It isn’t easy for me either,” Byleth said, remaining calm. “But if you do truly feel bad for what you did, then make up for it by beginning to develop your resolve. You don’t have to be like me. It’s impossible to be someone like me. Instead, be yourself in your own right and work on improving who you are now.”

Byleth caught Bernadetta’s eye and the archer shivered. The professor didn’t hide the emotion she now wielded in her soul, an intensity that made the woman shiver. Beneath the stillness of the Ashen Demon was the grief of a human mind. That agony would never fade, alongside the death of her father and her regrets of disappearing for five years, but she kept them at bay despite their weight. That was her resolve. She would carry the responsibility of her losses so it would remind her of the strength she needed to protect those who still lived.

The professor broke her glare and reached for the spilled plate, refilling it with food once more. Petra felt secure enough to relax again as the heat of the conversation faded. While Byleth finished restocking the plate, she reached towards one of the cakes and handed it to the archer. Bernadetta looked up at her, still bewildered from her words.

“Nobody cares if you eat dessert out of order,” Byleth shrugged. “It’s still food at the end of the day.”

That was something the archer couldn’t argue against. She accepted the cake, taking one small nibble which grew into large, ravenous bites. Bernadetta no longer cried, though she still sniffed as she reached for the refilled plate of food and started to eat from it. Byleth smiled, feeling satisfied, turning to clean the mess on the ground as they shared a meal together.

Byleth went for the bowl of vegetables as Bernadetta reached for another cake. Petra took a sandwich in her hands and bit a large portion out of it. This may not be the dining hall, but it was close enough. Byleth wanted them to remind them of the past when things weren’t as bad as they used to be.

The archer stopped half-way through the pastry, looking up towards the professor again. Some of her skittishness faded, replaced with a hollowness. A darkness.

“Edelgard found out Dorothea had sent a letter to you.”

Byleth stilled, directing her full attention towards Bernadetta. Petra continued to eat, though she made sure to glance at them once in a while. She appeared the same, hollow to the reality Bernadetta was revealing.

“They told her they would torture and kill her if she didn’t confess. That was when we were assigned with ambushing the Blue Lions. It didn’t matter for Dorothea though. Edelgard still had her taken away.” Byleth stilled, eyes widening slightly. Bernadetta kept her voice low, eyes to the ground as she continued to speak. “Ferdinand obviously tried to stop the Emperor but he ended up getting punished as well. I didn’t see what happened, but Linhardt told us before we left.”

Bernadetta looked up, staring directly into Byleth’s eyes. “He had a crest, so they stabbed him with the Lance of Ruin. I thought that was just some fancy way to kill him, but after I saw Dimitri… ”

Byleth fought the urge to rush to Hanneman and discuss the potential threat, instead, she maintained her composure and finishing her meal with them. Rebuilding her relationship with Petra and Bernadetta felt just as important. These two had to endure being sent on a blood mission, Dorothea and Ferdinand’s fate hanging over their duty.

“I’m sorry,” Byleth said, lowering her head and thinking a small prayer for them. Bernadetta nodded, though some of the darkness in her expression lightened.

To the professor’s memory, that heroes’ relic belonged to Sylvain’s house. It must’ve been confiscated sometime during the five years along with the Sword of the Creator. Byleth winced. Would they try to use her heroes’ relic to make monsters too? She hoped that a lack of a crest stone on the weapon would get in the way of a successful transformation.

The sound of footsteps echoed into the prison cells, an armoured guard panting heavily as he reached Byleth. He saluted with an urgency that bordered on panic.

“Professor! W-we’re about to be attacked. Empire forces spotted in the distance approaching the monastery!”

Byleth looked between Petra and Bernadetta, all shocked by the news. The professor got up, then considered the two of them again. Petra’s frown deepened, decisions torn up within her mind before she spoke.

“Leave us here. It is easier to keep us here safe than be a distract to your allies,” Petra said. Bernadetta went to her side, frightened and shivering. The two of them huddled in the cold, the archer burying her face into her friend’s arm.

No, they wouldn’t be safe. A demonic beast wouldn’t fit through the narrow stone stairs, but she couldn’t guarantee that the prisons wouldn’t be invaded by Empire foot soldiers. Petra and Bernadetta would be killed the moment they were spotted by their now enemy.

Byleth undid the clasp of the shortsword on her belt and threw it towards the Brigid warrior. She then reached for the guard’s spear and handed it towards Bernadetta.

“Hide here, but if the place is compromised fight your way out and hide somewhere else. Garreg Mach hasn’t changed. I would suggest hiding in the second floor of the barracks or the training grounds storeroom,” Byleth said. Then, she smiled. “Stay safe. I will do everything in my power to ensure you get out of this alive.”

She nodded to the surprised monastery guard and they both made their way towards the main grounds, leaving the cell door wide open for them.

Was it foolish to give them so much trust? She could not say yet. Today she would find out if Petra and Bernadetta could truly be saved from five years of loyalty to the enemy.


	28. The Attack

Byleth returned to the Garreg Mach grounds looking to the expansive forests beyond the walls. It was as the guard said, a trail of firelight and men marched towards the monastery. Red flags weaved between the green like eyes staring at them through the rain. The Empire would be here soon, just like the attack five years ago.

“Professor!” Ingrid flew in on her pegasus, landing smoothly and sliding off her mount with ease. Spear in hand, she stepped towards her, a weight to her expression. She felt it too, the fear of being attacked like this again. “Most of the townsfolk have been evacuated. There are still some merchants packing but they should be out of the way when the battle starts.”

Byleth nodded, then walked with her a bit towards the gate, Ingrid’s pegasus following diligently behind her. Something was tugging within the professor.

“It’s not looking good. From what I scouted out it really is an army of demonic beasts,” Ingrid continued, rain clinking faintly against the plate of her armour.

A note whined in her head again, the professor frowning as she placed her hand on her temple. Her vision kept being pulled towards the enemy approaching in the distance, drawn in by the specs of red.

“Can you show me?” Byleth said, trying to shake off the feeling of nausea, “I… want to see for myself.”

Ingrid nodded, “Hurry.”

The two mounted on the pegasus, the female knight grasping the reins tightly with Byleth holding onto her waist. Together, they ascended into the air, water splashing around them as two powerful wings pushed off the ground. They soared towards the enemy masses, the professor blinking rain out of her eyes.

The unsettling feeling subsided but was replaced with something else. She pressed her face against Ingrid, the knight giving her a sharp glance of fright before her vision blinked into darkness.

She expected the void to be an empty space, just her in never-ending black. This was different. The world felt like it had inverted and she saw everything. The Empire forces in the distance suddenly grew extremely bright, Byleth squinted at the strange sources of light that replaced the red. They were no longer looked like eyes, but rather, crests.

In the centre of each demonic beast that marched with the enemy carried a different symbol, and despite the distance, Byleth could sense them all. Cichol, Cethleann, Charon… Byleth gasped when she spotted the crest of the beast that led the charge. It glowed brighter than the others yet it seemed to swirl into black. An impossible light. It felt terribly wrong. The more she tried to understand it the more her blood began to curdle beneath her skin. It was a crest she hadn’t seen before.

Then suddenly, something invaded the light. A hand that reached towards her and blocked her from seeing more. Chilled fingers wrapped around her skull, a palm as cold as ice suffocating her. It was dark magic. She could recognise that sensation anywhere.

“-ofessor!”

Byleth snapped awake, her sight along with the colours of the world pulling back into her. Ingrid held onto her awkwardly, Shaking arms around the professor’s body as she was about to fall. She quickly pulled herself into a proper seating position, Ingrid relaxing at the sight of Byleth returning to herself.

“I’m fine,” the professor said, panting, “We should return. From what I could tell there are about thirty demonic beasts and one… very powerful one.”

Ingrid nudged her pegasus to return, the creature turning in the air, “H-how could you tell?”

Byleth didn’t respond, trying to recall the strange crest she had seen.

\---

Once they had landed, Byleth pulled Ingrid aside one more time. The female knight looked expectantly at her, ready to receive orders from the professor. Byleth started, then stopped as she considered her words again.

“I want you to hold the East Wing, close to where the prisons are. Look out for any flanks and…” Byleth held her breath, Ingrid furrowing at her reaction. “Make sure you kill Petra and Bernadetta if they show any sign of turning back into our enemies.”

The female knight started, eyes narrowing and her lips twisting down, “What do you mean by that?”

“I trust they would not betray us, so I left their cell open just in case they need to escape,” Byleth said, “They are our allies now, and if they were found by the Empire-”

Ingrid snarled, reaching forward to push the professor against the wall. She pinned Byleth and stared at her as if she had just rubbed salt over an old wound. “How could you do that? Now isn’t the time for playing these sorts of games!”

“But I can see it in them,” Byleth said, though her words carried uncertainty. Had she really made a mistake? “I could see their allegiances changing.”

“No! You don’t realise what you’re doing.” The female knight shoved herself away from the professor, frustration boiling against her usual calm and kind demeanour. Ingrid pointed towards Byleth, hand tense as she accused, “Five years. You disappeared for that long and I don’t think you understand how much can happen in those years. I can see it in you, the way you try to cling onto the past. Well, it’s too late. We’re no longer students. We’ve killed more, we’ve suffered more. You can’t make these judgements and tink people would just fall back to your expectations of them in the past!”

Her voice echoed through the rain, stinging as painfully as the cold as the knight eased herself out of her anger. Byleth shared her frustrations, not towards Ingrid but herself. She was right. It made her feel like a fool for letting herself get shoved off that cliff more.

Ingrid walked over to her pegasus, running her hand a few times across its body. She sighed, then mounted it again.

“I’ll do as you say and watch for flanks, but know that I’m not risking any more lives. If I see them, I’ll kill them.”

The female knight took off to the skies, Byleth cursing as she ran a hand through her damp hair. She felt the fear that every professor felt. A student losing faith in their teacher.

A voice called out to her and Byleth snapped out of it, signalling for soldiers to get in position as she relayed what she had scouted out. There were more pressing matters at the moment she needed to handle, carrying the bitter weight of her poor decisions along with her.

She called for a weapon to be brought to her, a hefty axe to cleave through the armours of the demonic beast. Next, she took a piece of scrap parchment from a nearby scribe and sketching out the ominous crest before finding Hanneman on the battlements. Rows of mages had already begun to channel defensive spells around Garreg Mach, repelling any attacks from the sky while offering support to those below.

Before he could regard her, Byleth held up the drawing. “Do you recognise this crest?”

The researcher frowned, taking the paper and stepping away from the main group with the professor. The two of them descended a few steps to find more privacy.

“No, I’ve never seen anything… wait,” Hanneman’s eyes narrowed, finger tapping his chin as he stared at it closely, “No it can’t…. Yes, that could be the case.”

Byleth nudged him. _ What is it? _The crest researcher cleared his throat, taking his monocle and wiping it on his sleeve.

“I don’t believe it… but we’ve seen this happen before,” Hanneman said, “See these markings? They’re not a singular crest, but two instead, overlaying one another.”

Byleth took the paper again and what Bernadetta said resurfaced in her mind. “What was the crest associated with the Lance of Ruin?”

“That would be Gautier… I assume you arrived at the same conclusion as me. The crest of Cichol doesn’t have a heroes’ relic, which means-”

The stone rumbled around them, Byleth shielding the researcher from the rubble that fell from the ceiling. Hanneman cursed, then started back up the steps. Byleth made her way down too but was stopped by a voice calling from above.

“If you need to, use your power, professor!” Hanneman shouted. “We can’t lose here!”

Byleth inhaled, her body tingling in anticipation for battle, before continuing down the steps.

\---

The professor stood at the front lines with most of the Blue Lions and Dimitri by her side. They had to stand their ground just outside the monastery gates and protect the mages that were positioned inside. Annette and Mercedes were assigned to be on the battlements, the rest anxiously waiting for the first clash of swords and spears.

Byleth glanced towards Dimitri in his bestial form, breathing heavily. He must be smelling the emotions of every soldier here. Fear, anticipation- She reached over and placed a hand on his scaled body and caught the prince's attention. _ We’re going to be fine. _

Dimitri acknowledged her, his blue eye flickering to hers before concentrating back towards the distance. Having him in his current form would help balance out the power between the two armies, but it still wasn't enough, not after knowing how many beasts the enemy had.

The prince suddenly growled, claws digging into the grass his body tensed. He could sense them. They were here.

Soldiers tensed, hearing the faint rumbling in the distance. Armour and shields shuffled behind them as they prepared themselves, the rain the only sound coming from the people. Through the haze of cold rain blurring the landscape, red eyes flickered in the distance then burst into view. A row of demonic beasts charged towards the soldiers, mud and water splashing around the enemy.

Many of the church soldiers panicked. Raised shields wouldn’t do much against that. Dedue planted his shield on the ground and caught the professor’s eye. Even he wouldn’t be able to stop something like that. Felix and Sylvain tried to hold their ground but wavered, the red-haired knight’s mount on the fringes of panic. Dimitri huffed towards Byleth. He was ready to charge against them, stop a line and give their soldiers a foothold in slaying the beasts. The professor placed a hand on him again, feeling herself sink a bit into the darkness. An advantage against the Empire in the war is nothing compared to the losses they were about to experience here at this moment.

Byleth closed her eyes and sunk into her mind, like falling through the sky. As she fell, her hair whipped around in the mythical space as she saw a familiar green light before her.

Sothis stood in front of her as Byleth continued to fall, the girl standing perfectly still and unaffected by the environment around them. The professor frowned as she took in the goddess’ appearance. Sothis looked older.

“More of my memories have returned like the time at the Red Canyon,” Sothis said, her benevolent form a moment of peace for Byleth, “And so have my powers. I must thank you for pushing yourself, despite some close calls with destroying your soul.”

Sothis waved a hand and Byleth turned around, the void taking form and stretching into and black and white battlefield. She saw the various crests beating in the hearts of each demonic beasts, balls of dull white light frozen in space. Motivated by instinct, Byleth reached out towards them, somehow grasping each one in the palm of her hands.

She winced. Something was wrong. She heard no thought or felt any feeling. They were just alive and nothing more.

“They were made, not born,” Sothis said, disgusted. The goddess floated to her side, touching her arm as she looked beyond the wave of demonic beasts. “There is nothing to recover from them. All of their humanity has been swallowed." Sothis looked a her, a small smile on her lips, "What will you do then?”

Byleth felt power flow from the tip of Sothis’ fingers and into her body, warmth that circled her chest as she began to glow as brightly as her. She closed her fist, fingers digging into the skin of her palm as she breathed out. Magic curled out of her heart and coated her voice as it passed her lips.

_ Obey. _

Byleth opened her eyes, her glowing green hair swirled around her as she felt her intentions extend beyond the fields of mud and grass. It pierced the minds of four beasts, some of them rearing back before going still. Sweat had already begun to mingle with the rain on her face, Byleth struggling to keep herself standing.

The soldiers around her looked in astonishment, the goddess’ chosen glowing in a holy aura.

_ Defend. _

The four demonic beasts turned around, crashing into their kind in a flurry of claws and fangs.

“Charge!” Byleth commanded. A cry erupted from behind her, a chorus of men and women who dashed past her. The ground rumbled as hundreds drew their weapons against the beast, their spirits much more lifted than before. The battle felt impossible at first but Byleth had reminded them the goddess was truly on their side. Dimitri charged with them, his speed and size shadowing everyone else as he led the soldiers.

Dedue and Sylvain took their positions close to Byleth, recognising they need to defend her. Felix took his position further out, hoping to intercept any strays that would challenge her.

\---

Dimitri felt the voices thrum in his head.

_ Kill. Kill. Kill. _

And he did. He killed, claws tearing through muscled flesh, gliding easily through scales as he ripped out the neck of another beast. He spotted a group of soldiers struggling to break the armour of another so he dashed up and tackled the beast into the ground for them.

_ Kill. Kill. Kill. _

No. Not them. They’re allies. Dimitri left the demonic beast in the ground for the churches soldiers to handle before moving onto another part of the battlefield.

The smell of adrenaline, mixed with glory from minor victories and agony from death spurred him on. He was so much more powerful as a beast, tearing through waves of enemies like they were straw mannequins. Dimitri opened his jaw to crush a man in his fangs, armour snapping like driftwood before spitting them out. He could protect so many with this power.

The church soldiers knew to keep a distance from the prince as he fought but it was hard with how fast he was. Dimitri charged towards a fight between two demonic beasts, one he could sense being controlled by Byleth. They smelt different, like flowers in a field. An odd scent to pick out in the middle of a blood-soaked battle. He reached towards the enemy and, with the help of the controlled beast, forced them onto the ground to rip their organs from its underbelly.

He caught the eye of the controlled beast, its body going eerily still until it recognised its next purpose and stormed towards another demonic beast in the distance. As Dimitri was about to do the same, the beast behind him howled. The prince turned to see a trail of innards and blood sinking into the mud.

A different monster had their own claws in this one’s underbelly, tossing them to the ground with not much of a thought. The scent they gave off was bitter, nauseating and wrong. This enemy beast was smaller, though by the way it just butchered another of its kind made Dimitri bare his fangs. In fact, it was more humanoid than any of the other beasts Dimitri had ever seen.

… Besides himself.

The prince prepared himself to fight, claws sinking into the damp soil below. He caught the eye of the powerful monster, blackened scales warped around their body in a pattern resembling armour. Dimitri took a closer look at its face and recognised it as more human than bestial, orange hair blowing in the storm. They seemed to have recognised Dimitri too, red eyes narrowing towards him. Suddenly, a wave of emotion erupted from the enemy, a fury that the prince could feel rumbling in his core. Dimitri responded with his own emotion, confidence in being able to take down an old acquaintance.

“-_ You _…!”

Ferdinand charged at Dimitri, two demonic beasts causing a shockwave of power around them as they clashed in the fields.


	29. The Defense

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm back
> 
> I'm sorry that I disappeared for two months. My mental health reached a low and I didn't have the energy to write as I was recovering. Things have gotten better though and I'm going to do my best to finish this fic because I want to
> 
> Updates will still be slower than usual, but they're still coming. Thank you for your support :)

Ingrid looked beyond the emptied church grounds, her battalion vigilantly keeping an eye for infiltrators or the potential ambitious thief. They had all heard the battle commence, the clashing of metal and shouts ringing through the air. It was a sound she could never become accustomed to. It made Ingrid shiver knowing she would feel the thrill and terror of battle shortly.

She kept glancing over towards the direction of where the tells were. So far, no sign that Petra and Bernadetta had left. Ingrid wouldn’t be surprised if they dropped everything and ran away in the chaos. All the more reason why she believed they would stab her in the back.

The knight ran her hand down the mane of her pegasus, its hairs slick from the rain. Ingrid was glad she cut hers short and kept it that way for a few years now. Less blood and dirt to clean off. Less feminine too. Helped deter some of the more shallow men from her father’s desperate attempts at trying to get her married. She couldn’t help but chuckle. Maybe things hadn’t changed much after five years.

Ingrid steered her mount through the sky to patrol a different area, thinking she saw unfamiliar figures shifting nearby. She glanced around, landing and scanning the area. Nothing. She rose back into the sky and continued her watch. Some of her men had already killed a few mages that had teleported through the weaknesses of the barrier to flank them. As much as this felt like a selfish order, Byleth had positioned her in a way that still contributed well to the outcome of the battle.

In the sky, she saw the army of demonic beasts clash against each other and the mages that threw spells from above. Even Ingrid could see the professor glow from here, green light encasing her as Blue Lions protected her. The knight sighed. In the end, she still trusted the professor, despite the mentor’s lapse in judgement-

A bolt of dark magic coursed through the air and her mount whinnied. Ingrid tugged on the reigns to spin towards the assailant and dived just in time to avoid another shot of dark magic. As it zoomed past she felt her ear deafen and her skin going cold.

The female knight took out her javelin and tried to find the dark mage. She saw the fighting below and gasped at the sight of her men being swept away by an organised group. One of her soldiers cried out and she tossed the javelin towards a mage ready to cast a spell. It didn’t strike through the enemy’s chest fast enough, her ally crumbling under a twisted incantation.

Ingrid dove with her pegasus, wings tucked into the beast’s body and they pushed through the wind together. She had to retreat. Reposition them. Find a place to hold them-

The pegasus beneath her cried out in pain. They were falling.

Ingrid clutched the reigns, the beast struggling to stay in the air as droplets of blood lifted into the sky. A black wound with purple veins spidering out began to consume the pegasus, a sharp smell of decay insulting Ingrid’s nostrils.

Her mount. Her companion’s life began to flicker away. It did its best to slow the landing but its eyes began to darken, lids relaxing as Ingrid screamed.

They crashed to the ground, dirt and grass scattering from where they landed. Ingrid and the pegasus tumbled, the speed of the landing too fast and too uncontrolled.

Ingrid felt her bones snap as they stopped tumbling, the pegasus landing on top of her lower body.

The female knight gasped, blinking dirt from her eyes as the world around her spun. She tried to crawl out but the weight on top of her legs was too much. Where had she landed? Was there help nearby?

Ingrid cried and gasped as her trembling fingers tried to pry away the decaying mount crushing her body.

\---

Bernadetta sat, her fingers trembling on the spear, in the cold and dank cell of Garreg Mach. The door had been left open but she and Petra weren’t willing to risk their chances to escape. Why would they even need to escape? Sure. Maybe they’ll change their minds. Maybe they’ll see them as traitors all along and executed them. Coming to the monastery was a mistake. Maybe they should’ve just-

Bernadetta went quiet, listening to the sounds of shouts and fighting from above. How had the Empire pushed to this position within the monastery? Then, she gasped, Petra glancing her a look.

They were here_. _

Petra held her sword tighter, Bernadetta standing up as footsteps echoed into the stone chamber. Should they fight this though? The Empire… well. They were allies not so long ago. Maybe they thought they had gotten captured and were here to save them.

_ But the professor… she- _

An Empire mage stepped into view, long dark robes already stained with a bit of blood. Their bird-like masks were always a little unsettling to the archer but she never mentioned it.

“Ah. There you are. Quick. We must go,” the mage said, cocking their head towards the already opened gate. He gestured towards Bernadetta, ignoring Petra for some reason.

Maybe this was better. Yes, she killed Ashe, but he was the enemy at the time. They were opposing Edelgard! Sure, she wasn’t all good but as the Emperor, she was just looking out for her people. All that crest stuff was just so she could win. Couldn’t the monastery understand everything would be fine if they just surrendered?

The archer shivered. Ferdinand and Dorothea flashed in her mind.

No. No- She could’ve treated her friends… their friends better than that.

Bernadetta clutched her spear tighter. How could the professor trust such an indecisive, cowardly woman like her? The professor didn’t make mistakes. She was the goddess’ chosen for… goddess sake!

The mage noted the hesitation in Bernadetta’s eyes and turned towards the Brigid warrior.

“And you. You must return and lead your people. This war is reaching its apex and we must gather-”

Petra cried out, dashing towards the mage and plunging her sword through the man’s chest. He shouted but before he could cast a spell she ripped the weapon out of his body and sliced off his hand. A wet splatter of leather, flesh and blood tumbled to the side, the mage’s body following soon after.

“B-but they were-”

“No, Bernadetta,” Petra said, leaning down and searching the dead Empire mage. “We are with the professor now. We fight for Garreg-”

Dark light pierced through the Brigid warrior’s side. Bernadetta screamed as Petra spun towards the attacker.

“Kill the Brigid traitor! Make sure the crest-bearer is alive!” an Empire mage shouted. The blood in Bernadetta’s face sapped away, followed by a wave of concentration.

She spun into action alongside Petra who clutched her injury. The spear in her hands was tricky in a confined space so she tossed it into the narrow chamber, impaling a mage that was descending the steps. Petra passed her sword to Bernadetta as she salvaged a dagger from the mage she had killed.

Another was coming down the steps so Bernadetta and Petra pressed themselves against a wall, hiding in the shadows for the Empire soldier to pass. When the man didn’t spot them, Bernadetta took the initiative and sliced them across the back of their neck. Petra finished him off, digging the dagger into the enemy’s eye as Bernadetta prepared herself for another foe.

Petra yanked the dagger out, gasping at the wound on her stomach. Bernadetta glanced at her ally and gasped. How had the wound gotten so badly in such a short amount of time? The skin had wrinkled in black and purple veins, blood had twisted into a sharp, rotten stench.

“We must help the professor,” Petra grunted, leaving a trail of blood with each attempted step. Bernadetta stopped her, holding her friend in her arms. The warrior’s skin was cold and clammy. Petra smiled, her brows furrowed deeply. “... while I still have time.”

\---

Marianne and Ignatz flew high enough to not be noticed. They spectated the battle happening from below, scouting out the best time to aid them. The professor glowed like a beacon in the battle that they could easily spot her from within the clouds.

Ignatz was barely holding on, not used to such high altitude flying. Marianne started to descend. They had to land soon and help or else Claude would’ve sent them for nothing. She continued to scan the area, finding the right time to intervene.

It was strange to see her old academy in this state. Back then she was more naive and shy, afraid of hurting the people around her. Those were better times. She had people who accepted her and brought her out of her comfort zone despite her fears.

That was what she hated most about the Empire attacking the academy the most five years ago. She knew she would lose the best times of her life because of it.

A figure shifted in the distance and caught her eye.

As Marianne steered her mount to circle around and enter from the behind the main attack, she wasn’t expecting to see a skirmish happening in such a remote area. They could start there. Fend off any flankers from the main battle.

The lady saw pegasus dropped in the air as dark magic erupted across their old academy and through the sky. The monastery was barely able to fight back against such a powerful force.

Ignatz gasped, then pointed towards a figure.

“That’s-!”

Marianne’s eyes widened. She recognised that hair, that poise on the mount and the stance she adopted. Ingrid fell from the sky, her pegasus going limp in the air.

“Go!” Marianne shouted, her pegasus swooping into action. Ignatz took his bow out, ready to dive off of the mount and begin fighting. They flew towards the ground, the world around them larger and figures becoming more recognisable before they started their offence. She lost sight of Ingrid as she disappeared behind one of the tall monastery towers. Marianne tsked. That wasn’t good.

The Empire mages weren’t expecting them, turning too late as they were met with arrows and spears. Marianna dismounted, sending her pegasus to safety as she spun her weapon around and crippled a mage’s legs. She felt her crest begin to flare then drove the tip of her spear into their face, shattering their mask and pinning them to the ground.

Her body tingled and instincts kicked in. She summoned a shield of white magic to defend herself. The mage gasped by her unexpected abilities before she took him out with a magical bolt of her own.

Just because she had been training with a spear didn’t mean she had forgotten how to cast spells.

Ignatz returned to Marianne, a row of dead mages with arrows in their bodies lay on the ground.

“Did you spot Ingrid? Maybe she survived,” the archer said, then winced at the graze he had gotten on his side. Marianne examined the wound, was glad to found it un-cursed, and reached out to heal it.

“No. Not yet,” Marianne said as she signalled for her mount. The pegasus returned from the sky and landed onto the ground with grace. Marianne pulled herself up before helping Ignatz, the two of them taking off into the skies.

\---

Ingrid vomited. The drop from the air, the weight of the situation, and the pain got to her. Her fingers grew numb as she tried to push against her companion’s dead body again. Nothing worked. Her pegasus was a beast that supported her weight and had the strength to carry out any maneuver they had practised. But now, this beast of hair and muscle would slowly crush her to death.

“There! The crest-bearer of Daphnel!”

Ingrid glanced up, eyes hazy as dark mages approached her. One of them crouched to take a closer look at her state and Ingrid took a pitiful attempt at swinging her fist towards them. The mage backed off, laughing.

“She doesn’t need her legs to be a crest-bearer. Get her out of there and stabilise her wounds before reinforcement comes,” a mage said, keeping an eye out for danger. Another dark mage nodded, turning towards Ingrid and waving a spell in the air.

No. _ Damn them! _ Like _hell _ if she was going to let them take her!

Ingrid tried to claw at the nearby mage who prepared a spell but he was out of reach. All she could do was yell, and yell, and yell at how they’ll never win. Empire scum!

Tears began to gather in her eyes in her anger. She thought about her childhood friends. Dimitri had grown so much, and she could see his duty as a king in view. Felix was unmatched in swordsmanship, there was no way he would fall in battle. And Sylvain…

Ingrid’s anger started to fizzle away with her energy. Her body was on its last legs.

_ … and what would Sylvain do without her? _

“Get away from her!”

Ingrid felt the warmth of more blood splattering across her face. She opened her eyes and saw the blade of a blood-soaked blade glinting in the light. The dark mage fell to the ground followed by another who was sliced across the neck. Spells were thrown against the assailants but amidst the chaos, a woman with long, braided hair weaved through them with ease.

Petra shouted as she danced. Even with just a dagger, she was an untouchable force to be reckoned with. A few other mages fell as well, pierced by arrows that hadn’t missed their mark yet. Something about that precision sparked a thought within the pegasus knight.

“Ashe…?” Ingrid mumbled, blinking slowly as her body continued to numb even more.

Once the last of the mages fell, Bernadetta ran into view. Anger within Ingrid thrashed but was restrained by a cage of reasoning. She had just saved her. The archer approached the pegasus knight and crouched down, feeling the body of the decaying mount on top of her.

“Petra! Quick, we have to-” Bernadetta spun around and saw Petra fall to one knee. “Petra?”

The warrior smiled, blood-soaked and weary. It was such a warm gesture on such a dark day. Petra was surrounded by mages she had killed, bodies of the Empire scattered around her. Even in her injured state, she won the battle. A legend in the making.

“Brigid will not die with me, not while you are alive, Berna-” Petra coughed, dagger clattering to the ground. Blood seeped from her mouth, black as pitch. “Remember who your true friends are. Remember what you-”

Petra fell to the ground, cold and still.

The air hung with deafening silence. The loss of another old friend fell onto Ingrid’s shoulders. It didn’t matter if they were supposed to be enemies, they had known each other. Had meals with one anothe-

Bernadetta screamed then moved her hands onto the pegasus.

_ “No more!” _ she cried out. _ “No more dying!” _

The petite archer heaved, Ingrid muffling her shouts of pain as the weight shifted above her. The mount shifted in place and Bernadetta went again. Splintered fingernails and exhaustion didn’t stop her, and once again the mount shifted.

_ Bernadetta… _

“Over there!”

Bernadetta, with lightning reflexes, grabbed her bow and took aim but hesitated. Two other figures ran into view.

“Let us help!” Ignatz said, putting his bow away as he placed his hands on the dead pegasus. Marianne followed though Ingrid was surprised to see the shy lady in armour. Together, they managed to pull Ingrid from her trap and laid the warrior on her back.

“You two keep fighting! I’ll take her somewhere safe and treat her wounds!” Marianne shouted. Actually shouted. Who would’ve thought she had that within her? Ignatz and Bernadetta nodded, taking their bows and making their way towards the main battle. The lady sighed, then placed her hands on Ingrid’s body.

“Everything’s going to be alright now,” Marianne said, healing magic flowing into Ingrid’s body. While she felt the numbness fade, Ingrid stared at Petra on the ground. She was glad that she was wrong. Years of losing this war and on the brink of succumbing to the Empire made her bitter. Maybe the professor was right. Ingrid couldn't see herself changing the hearts of old friends, but the professor could.

Cuts and scrapes closed over, leaving behind patches of dried blood on repaired skin. It wouldn’t be enough though.

Ingrid found enough energy to reach up and grasp Marianne’s arm, the chill of dread in her eyes.

“I… I can’t feel my legs,” Ingrid forced herself to admit.


	30. The Retreat

Sothis’ aura was like a watchful mentor, shadowing the professor’s actions as she commanded the demonic beasts against their twisted will. She managed to extend her powers even further, taking control of another demonic beast. The thing reared up on its hind legs- resisting before it spun and joined the monastery's side,

Passion fueled her. She was protecting her students, protecting Garreg Mach and punishing the Empire for what they had done. She still felt that she thought, but something else crept over her morals and her intentions.

Byleth’s scope of this battle and her purpose stretched and expanded beyond her usual realm of understanding. Instead, she began to see the world as a whole. Each person, every society, all the borders. It all belonged to her, it was her right as the goddess’ chosen.

The more Byleth used the goddess’ power… her power, the more she felt… numb.

As the fight went on, she no longer felt the fears that gripped her mind. They had to win this battle. They had to defeat those that dare abuse the power of her blood. Her mind was clearer. Sharp. She analysed the battlefield with no prejudice or bias and that strengthened her control over the situation.

The professor commanded the soldiers with ease, shouting and providing orders as she stayed back, glowing with divine light while her minions fought for her. Sothis’ approval rang within her, vibrating in her bones, telling her to press on.

Byleth felt her face lax, the calm settling like a still pond. This was familiar, a time before the monastery. The Ashen Demon had returned, helmed by the goddess’ guidance. With her power, nothing could-

Byleth spotted Dimitri knocked across the battlefield, dirt and blood kicking up into the air. The powerful beast with the unusual crest charged after him without sparing a second for the prince to get up.

Emotions returned to Byleth, flooding her veins like a fire that crept up a fuse.

_ That… was strange. _

The professor sent demonic beasts to help the prince. Two mindless puppets charged the enemy, but in a flurry of movement its claws had already sunk into one of Byleth’s controlled. It ripped its claws out to duck under the other approaching monster, easily maneuvering their body to tear out her puppet’s soft underbelly.

Dimitri had gotten back on his legs but he was limping, blood dripping out of the side of his body. Byleth cringed, then split her mind. The demonic beasts she controlled went onto the defensive as the professor went on the offensive. If only she practised more with this power then she could be more efficient, but she needed to keep the crown prince safe.

She saw the flickering of the strange crest as she approached, and when she was close enough she locked eyes with the beast. Byleth recognised Ferdinand, a shudder washed through her like rain seeping into cloth beneath armour. The roots of his long orange hair were twisted in a mix of dark purple and red. Scales invaded his skin, dried blood framing the sharp edges. Whether the crimson was his or not, she couldn’t tell. Byleth saw what used to be a nobleman, his gaze transformed into something cold and in agony.

It occurred to her then that his crest wasn’t a crest she hadn’t seen before. It was two crests overlayed on top of each other, the foreign crest branding into Ferdinand’s soul.

“ _ Professor _ ,“ Ferdinand spat, then charged her. He closed the gap in such an instant any man would’ve reacted three lifetimes too late. But Byleth was no mortal. Time shattered and she trapped the world in her palms, everything grinding into a halt.

_ Ferdinand was a paradox. He had to die. _

Sothis’ disgust became her disgust. The professor agreed. He had to be destroyed.

Byleth took a breath in this space, tapping into her power before wading through the inverted space. The more she defied the laws of the world she created, the more it drained her. But she needed to close the distance. She needed to destroy that twisted creation.

The goddess’ chosen was in front of the nobleman. The beast had one arm extended, ready to tear her apart. She reached up, feeling the scales on this man’s skin, and prepared to sink her weapon into his chest.

_ There you are. _

The professor froze, a chill creeping up from behind her until it started to pierce through her skin. She felt paralysed as the sound of crunching bones deafened her. Byleth lost the grip on her axe, fingers spasming and cracking as the weapon fell and suspended in the air back in reality.

Byleth fought to move her body, twisting her head to see who would dare to invade the plane of a goddess. Instead, a familiar object hovered in the air nearby. Hands made of darkness clutched the blade, sharpened fingers digging into the weapon. The Sword of the Creator cracked and Byleth felt a limb in her body break.

She fell, the sensation of shattering bone ripped across her leg. The pain shocked her body, a silent cry echoing through the inverted world. She sensed Sothis’ panic, a wave of fear and confusion reverberating into Byleth. The professor cursed. She had to leave this space now but she couldn’t just let Ferdinand continue with his attack.

Byleth blinked. Why did she want to kill Ferdinand again? He was her old student, she couldn’t just-

In her moment of desperation, she brushed her fingertips against Ferdinand’s chest.

_ Release. _

Byleth pulled away from the inverted realm right after she saw what she had done. She watched the overlapping of two crests being ripped from one another, and Ferdinand's soul echoed through her mind. The professor saw a scar left behind, bright and glowing in red as the nobleman’s cries could be heard from within him.

_ What had she done? _

Time resumed and they both collapsed.

_ - _ \--

Dimitri huffed. The wound to his side pulsed but it didn’t hurt. He was high on the thrill of bloodshed and he was ready to continue fighting.

He saw the professor intervene, but that only ended up in a sequence of events he didn’t understand. Byleth stood on one end of the battlefield, for her to suddenly appear right in front of Ferdinand in a blink. The Empire nobleman exploded in greyish light as he screamed, followed by them falling onto the ground.

The professor, Ferdinand, and the Lance of Ruin all laid in the dirt.

_ Had Byleth done it? Split Ferdinand from the heroes’ relic like she did with him and Areadbhar? _

No. Something was off. Ferdinand had shrunk in size but he still had claws and scales.

Beasts roared in the distance and soldiers began to panic. With the professor unconscious, her puppets began to turn on the monastery.

Shit. Byleth had taken out Ferdinand, but now they’re just going to be trampled by the other demonic beasts.

The sound of a horn cut through the chaos of battle. Gilbert was signalling for the army to fall back. The prince took one second to look at the slaughter. More monastery colours lay still in the mud, their blood and the colour of the Empire mixing into a blanket of death.

They were going to lose.

The prince ran towards Byleth who twitched in pain. She tried to push herself off the ground but failed. She held her limp leg, dragging in the mud behind her as she tried to take the unconscious Ferdinand with her.

The professor looked up with glowing green eyes as a demonic beast came towards her. She tried to take control of the demonic beast but winced in pain, a yelp escaping her lips. Dimitri was there to kill it before it was about to trample her.

_ It’s time to go. _ Dimitri lowered himself to let Byleth onto his back. He felt an extra weight being pulled on top of him and saw the professor struggling to bring Ferdinand with her.

_ Just leave him _ , Dimitri huffed, but Byleth refused, straining herself regardless. She gave him one look and the determination in her eyes was piercing.

_ Ferdinand carried the answers they needed. _

“Professor!” Sylvain dashed towards them and closer to the enemy frontlines as the others retreated. He lept off his horse and helped her and Ferdinand onto Dimitri’s back. The knight ducked as magic struck past him and into the grass beside him. Byleth held on tightly to his back while her arm wrapped around the body of the half-beast nobleman.

Sylvain’s eyes flickered towards the Lance of Ruin. Then, the sound of heavy footfalls in the dirt dragged his attention and he grabbed the spear on his back. He tossed it towards an approaching demonic beast in a futile attempt to stop its charge and picked up the heroes relic, standing his ground as Dimitri prepared to escape.

The weapon flashed with light as Sylvain rolled to one side, dodging the deadly fangs of the beast before swinging the weapon down across its neck. It glided through the scales and the beast reared back. Dimitri couldn’t help, not if he wanted to throw Byleth and Ferdinand off his back. The knight returned to his stance as the demonic beast came at him again. It charged head-on, Sylvain not prepared for such a desperate attack.

“Crap. Crap-!”

An arrow managed to sink into the beast’s eye, followed by another that sunk in-between its scales. It blindly veered off to the side, giving Sylvain to glide the blade across the monster's torso. His red hair mixed with the blood that splattered from the beast, the enemy now limping in pain.

“Go! Hurry!”

“What the- Bernadetta? Ignatz-“

“What the  _ hell _ did he just say? M-move it!”

Sylvain climbed back onto his horse as the two archers covered them. All of them raced back behind the walls of Garreg Mach, joining the rest of the church’s soldiers that had regrouped. The Empire continued their advance while the monastery scrambled to get themselves together for a desperate defence.

\---

Byleth’s leg wasn’t hurt physically. It was broken in a separate part of her soul. She felt the snap, a thunder that rang inside her ears, but as she dismounted Dimitri she found she could walk again. Ferdinand was still limply lying on Dimitri’s back, his damage crest like a foul stench to Byleth’s nose.

But she needed answers. Hanneman would know what to do with him.

Amidst the chaos around her, of soldiers shutting the gates and regrouping for a desperate final defence, she heard Sothis’ fears in her chest. They were able to  _ hurt _ her through the Sword of the Creator, but how could that be possible?

Ignatz and Gilbert ran towards the duo, both filthy and exhausted from battle.

“The situation isn’t good, professor,” Gilbert said, “We’re… going to need to abandon Garreg Mach.”

“D-don’t worry though. The Alliance will take you in. The situation is worse than we thought,” Ignatz said.

Byleth felt a huff from Dimitri. A sign of annoyance. She could hear his thoughts.  _ If only Claude got involved soon then they might’ve- _

The professor placed a hand on the prince’s scaled body, snatching his attention away. They were talking about Claude, after all. He always has something up his sleeve. He must’ve had a reason not to get involved until now.

The gates shuddered, splinters of wood and creaking of metal startling the people inside like a shockwave. Gilbert gulped, hand tense on his axe.

“Some of us will need to stay behind to ensure the prince’s safety,” the elderly soldier said.

Dimitri growled, then Gilbert shot him a glare that rivalled the beast. Yet, there was a kindness in his stance. A stern farewell.

“We… don’t have much of a choice. Marianne scouted the area and we need everyone on mounts just to barely outrun the forces the Empire have,” Ignatz said.

“ _ -Ingrid _ !”

Byleth flinched as Sylvain’s voice cut through the crowd. She spotted the red-haired knight run towards a woman currently being secured to Marianne’s pegasus. Ingrid struggled to breathe, her whole body limp.

_ But she’s alive, at least… _

Her gaze lifted towards two green-haired figures in the distance. Seteth was mounted on his wyvern while Flayn held onto him. Both were still lethargic but ready to flee. Nearby, Manuela was helping Hanneman load his research onto a wagon pulled by two horses. The devices the crest-researched had built will have to stay behind.

Finally, Bernadetta caught the professor’s eye. Her hand gripped her bow, an arrow ready to be fired. She kept a close eye on the gates, her mount shifting anxiously beneath her. Alone. Isolated.

_ Petra… _

“Father!” The rest of the Blue Lions approached, Anette leading the charge. Part of her robe was burnt off on her side, skin blistering around her wrists. Mercedes didn’t look too hurt but Byleth could see the exhaustion in the way she carried herself. Dedue and Felix had mud caked up to their legs and scrapes from the fighting, but they still had more fight in them. 

Annette took a step forward, “I can stay and-“

“Out of the question!” Gilbert shouted, startling Anette. “You will go with them!”

The sound of the gate breaking rang through the crowd, the air felt like it closed in on them as the sound of fighting resumed. The demonic beast that rammed through the gates trampled three monastery guards before Byleth reached her mind forward to take control.

_ Aaaagh! _

Byleth winced as Sothis screamed in her mind. Her leg began to throb, the pain of a broken bone returning.

“Hang in there, Sothis!” Byleth shouted, drawing Dimitri’s confusion. She leaned into Dimitri for support, her eyes glowing as the demonic beast thrashed against her power. That was all she could manage at the moment, keeping the beast occupied as the soldiers fended off the human enemies.

“ _ Go! Now! _ ” Gilbert shouted. Seteth and Flayn were the first to evacuate, the wyvern taking to the skies. Sylvain pivoted his mount back towards the Blue Lions, the Lance of Ruin hanging from his back.

“Come on, Annette!” Felix shouted, trying to drag her away but the mage refused. Her eyes were focused on the pack of Empire soldiers.

Instead, she cried out as her hands crackled with magic, creating a wall of fire as people screamed. She lifted her hands, fire leaking onto her fingertips and the wall intensified. Felix was thrown back by the heat, gasping at the sudden burst of power.

“I can hold them off!” she shouted, pushing the wave of fire forward. Bernadetta, who was close to the front lines, was able to retreat. She passed by the professor, galloping with the rest of the fleeing troops. Byleth heard the strain in Annette’s voice. The sign of magic fatigue.

“Annette, please!” Gilbert shouted. But no, the young mage had made up her mind.

People continued to flee as Annette bought them more time. Hanneman and Manuela were finally done loading the cart and the two of them began their exit. Byleth slowly climbed back onto Dimitri, an arm around Ferdinand as her other arm gripped around his back scales. Ignatz hopped onto his mount, saying with Byleth until she was ready to flee.

Byleth saw Felix, arms raised around his face, try to approach Annette as fire raged around her. She was buying them a lot of time. Time that Felix  _ needed _ to waste.

“ _ Annette!  _ Anet-!“ the swordsman was pulled away by his father.

“No, Felix!” Rodrigue said, “Go! Now!”

“Shut the hell up! We-“

A beam of dark energy pierced the wall of fire and struck Annette.

The wall of fire fell. Annette collapsed to the ground, the skin around her hand blackened with ash. Gilbert’s shouts were lost to the sounds of the Empire soldiers charging. The enemy stepped past the burnt corpses with swords raised. In the distance, Hubert swirled his hand in front of him, calmly stepping forward as he prepared his next spell.

And a rain of light crashed down on the enemy.

Mercedes’ power parted the dust around where she stood, her body glowing with white light. She turned behind her, smiling, as a tear fluttered from her eyes and evaporated into the air. Sylvain dragged Felix onto his horse, the swordsman shouting as they took off. Mercedes let out a sigh of relief as she watched her allies escape.

Some enemy soldiers had passed her wave of attack and Dedue was there defend. As they charged Mercedes he was ready with his shield, shoving away men with ease. The two friends looked at each other, finding a moment of peace in the chaos before Dedue raised his shield against another bolt of dark magic. He looked back towards Dimitri and the prince shifted beneath Byleth.

_ There were too many farewells this day. _

Rodrigue watched Felix disappear into the distance before gripping his sword tightly, preparing to fight. Gilbert did the same, his eyes fixated on the body of Annette nearby.

_ That’s everyone. _

Byleth gave a silent prayer, a wave of the goddess’ power brushing against each of the souls. Her grip on the demonic beast loosened as she touched the ones who had crests, a sign of gratitude before Dimitri took off at a lightning speed away from Garreg Mach.


	31. The Cage

The surviving Garreg Mach forces fled into the mountains, the monastery bleeding Empire colours from within. The weight of defeat crushed Byleth as Dimitri carried her and a still unconscious Ferdinand on his back. The monastery was their home, and she was supposed to be their protector. Losing Garreg Mach felt like losing another piece of herself.

Trying to conceal her power to influence other demonic beasts? What a joke. They-

No. She had to stop thinking about that. If she were to stew over every single defeat she wouldn’t be ready for the next one.

Byleth took count of the people that fled around her. A few messenger and scouts, judging from their uniform. A spy or two maybe. Not many of the foot-soldiers escaped, standing strong with their brothers in arms. The only knights and reliable fighters Byleth could note was her Blue Lions. Sylvain and Felix were on a horse, though Felix had stopped his outbursts and is now silently holding onto Sylvain’s armour. Ingrid was being carried by Marianne up above….

That was it.

Byleth looked harder, scanning the field once more. It was tough not counting eight when Dedue and Ashe weren’t around, but this? The professor curled into Dimitri’s scales, feeling the way it shifted as he led the fleeing party alongside Ignatz.

Byleth took a breath. Not everything was lost.

Ignatz had grown. He was much taller than she remembered, his expression a bit more serious than the anxious young man she spoke to many times before. Marianne wearing armour was a surprise, though Byleth suspected her mysterious crest had something to do with it. The professor glanced behind her and caught the eye of Bernadetta. Somehow she had changed in the short time they hadn’t talked. A raw determination in the way she gripped the reins of her mount and darkness in her eyes. She wanted vengeance.

Byleth would need to check on her once they were safe. She recognised that in Dimitri once before. Not as severe, but still a cause for concern.

Finally, Byleth closed her eyes and fell into a place of stone ruins and darkness. Sothis laid on the ground, curled up and breathing slowly. The goddess’ body shifted as Byleth approached, wincing as she reached for her leg.

“Are you alright? What happened?” Byleth asked, sitting on the floor beside her. The professor couldn’t help but gaze into the black space beyond the stone, looking for danger.

Sothis was silent though she had rolled on her back, long green hair spilling across the ground like a flowing river. The goddess removed her hand from her leg for Byleth to see. Her skin had gone black and purple, swollen with dark veins spidering away from the wound.

It made sense for the Sword of the Creator to be connected with Sothis, but how could hurting the sword do this much damage to her?

Sothis raised an eyebrow as Byleth lowered herself to the ground to lie down next to the goddess, staring up into nothing as she took a breath.

“Do you not have responsibilities to attend to?” Sothis asked, curious about her actions.

“You’re part of the team, Sothis,” Byleth said. “I need to make sure you’re doing alright too.”

The goddess chuckled, shaking her head. “I feel as though I should be offended to be labelled as that. Me, a goddess, to be seen as another soldier in your little group?”

“Is that so bad?”

Sothis paused, mouth parted but silent. She blinked, taking a second to shift her body into a more comfortable position. “I don’t know. To be honest-” Sothis reached up towards the sky, fingers stretching upwards and a burst of light escaped from her palm. She summoned stars to accompany the dark abyss, flickers of light shifting slowly above them. “- the more my power grows, the wiser I become. However, I see that it comes at the cost of losing a bit of my humanity. I feel as though I am lacking empathy or the need to be part of such a thing.”

“Gaining wisdom means losing humanity?”

“As my role of a goddess, yes,” Sothis said, sighing. She lowered her hand, letting the stars dance above the two of them for a moment.

Admittedly, Byleth was avoiding her responsibilities. She wanted to escape to another world where only her and a goddess could exist. A mercenary's life was much sinplier then.

But in other ways, Byleth wouldn't give up being a professor for the world. She learned what it was like to be looked up by hundreds. To be a role model and pave the future for her students. As someone who has seen the worst from her life travelling with little to no law, she enjoyed guiding the people around her to do good in the world.

Byleth felt soothed by the way the lights gently moved with each other. She reached her hand up and played with the lights. The professor swirled them together, stars following her movements. Like running her fingers in still pond, they rippled and sparkled until they slowed to a stop. Unresponsive. The professor glanced towards Sothis and met her eyes.

“I had been debating whether I should surrender this piece of information for a while now,” Sothis began, “My memory has been returning for quite some time and I believe you should know why your heart doesn’t beat.”

In that moment, Sothis felt awfully distant. Foreign. Like she was a different person.

Byleth frowned, pushing off the ground to sit up slowly. Sothis remained unreadable, her expression blank as she continued to track the professor’s gaze. The goddess reached forward, her arms too short to touch Byleth but they still were able to extend far enough. Sothis casually warped the space, not moving from her position as her fingers touched the centre of Byleth’s chest.

The professor gasped, her vision flickering to white before it was pulled into her own body. As the picture cleared, Byleth saw a space of flesh and bone. She could almost feel the uncomfortable warmth on her skin until the realisation occurred to her. She saw a heart, her heart, and attached to it was a crest stone.

Byleth’s vision pulled back and the force of it made her stumble back, the stone unforgiving and bruising her tailbone. She caught herself, panting heavily, and stood up.

“How the hell is that in me?” Byleth exclaimed, then winced. Her outburst of shock caused a pain in her chest and she winced. Her eyes widened.

“Does it make sense now? Your ability to wield the Sword of the Creator? That you are speaking to me at this moment? That crest stone, girl, was implanted in your body the moment you were born.”

_Implanted?_

Her father was right. The church- Lady Rhea, _ had _done something to her.

Things were falling into place, but not in the way she wanted. Her oddly unique crest? Rhea's sudden offer for Byleth to become a professor? Of course the church wanted her in a leadership role.

But that wasn't what she was most disturbed by. Sothis said it herself, the more power she has the less humanity she has as an entity beyond the realms of Byleth’s understanding. But she didn’t want to lose her humanity. She wanted to feel. To know happiness and sadness, love and hate- Not an Ashen Demon but as a mentor and a professor who cares for her students.

“I don’t want this,” Byleth said. Her chest hurt. She knew something foreign was encased within her ribs now, holding her heart hostage.

_No. She was being irrational. She needs the goddess’ power to win this fight. _

“That is my heart beside yours, Byleth,” Sothis said, ignoring the professor’s outburst. “And that _ 'sword' _ in the hands of those thieves? My bones. All those heroes relics people wield are made from the bodies of my children.”

Sothis sat up, then levitated into the air. Her injured leg hung from her uselessly as she floated in front of Byleth. Something about the goddess started to intimidate the professor, a pressure of responsibility and duty was settling into a pool of fear.

“My hair, my eyes-” Byleth gulped, staring up towards Sothis. “Will… Will I become you one day?”

In a brief moment, Byleth saw a flicker of something familiar. Sothis’ expression wavered, unveiling a small look of sadness.

“I do not know yet,” Sothis said, the light-emitting from her body stinging Byleth’s eyes. “But I think that was the intent, for me to take your body as mine eventually.”

Byleth hung her mouth open, trying to find some way to object but what was there to say? This was-

"Inhumane? Even I could recognise that to some extent,” Sothis said, shaking her head, “Hence, I hold you to the highest respect. You are the ideal vessel for my rebirth.”

_ \- B-th. W-s wr-ng?- _

“My chosen champion. We must win this war against the Empire. We have to reclaim our seat of power in this world.”

_ \- By-eth! W-ke u-!- _

“We will rule, as it should be-”

Byleth snapped away from Sothis, like a thread fraying to the point of breaking. The force made her flinch, her breathing returning a moment too late as she gasped helplessly for her vision to clear.

“Byleth! What happened? Are you hurt?”

Byleth blinked and looked up to a mop of blonde hair and scales. She reached forward to hug Dimitri.

“H-hey, are you alright?” the prince said. He had transformed into his half-state to speak to her, toughened scales and claws careful to not hurt her as he held her back. Byleth sighed, her eyes stinging though she did not cry. It wasn't like her to be so erratic in her actions, but times had changed. She could never forget the taste of emotion, to know what it meant to be human. Even so, she pulled herself together, forcing her conflicting thoughts to the back of her mind.

“You know it’s bad for you to transform yourself like that,” she said. It must've hurt.

“I had to,” Dimitri chuckled. “You were so still on my back I kept thinking you had fallen off or…”

“Died?” Byleth asked. Dimitri hesitated, then sighed and rested his head into the crook of her neck.

"You know I can't hear a heartbeat from you. It is hard to tell if you're still with me."

The professor breathed a sigh of comfort. The weight of Dimitri and the heat of his body on hers soothed her non-beating heart.

_ Soothing the goddess’ heart too? _

Byleth winced, then tried to clear her mind by looking around. They were surrounded by trees and groups of people moving around making camp. Most of the mounts had been tied down while they were offered water. They drank it up exhaustedly. Byleth glanced towards the sky and noted the sunset obscured by the foliage.

“How close are we to Alliance territory?” Byleth asked, pulling away from Dimitri’s hug.

“We’ve made good progress despite the situation,” Dimitri said, “Ignatz says that it should be another day and a half before we’re in Claude’s hands. I wasn't surprised to hear that man actually had a messenger on standby. Ignatz sent them ahead and if the Alliance meets us halfway then it should ensure our safety.”

“I wonder what schemes he has in store for us,” Byleth sighed. “I doubt he would give us refuge unless he wanted something from us in return.”

"It's not like we have much of a choice anyway," Dimitri sighed.

The professor’s eyes drifted across the hap-hazard camp and saw a few soldiers nervously working in one area. They tied ropes to a cart hastily, Ferdinand still unconscious as Hanneman oversaw the people working.

“They’re nervous,” Dimitri said, following Byleth’s focus, “Unsure of why you took him along with us. Hanneman is grateful though. Says that he’s looking forward to rebuilding his machines in Derdriu.”

Byleth hummed, her eyes lingering a moment longer on Ferdinand. Her eyes flickered and she fell into a void where she could see Ferdinand’s crest. It hadn’t changed from when she forcefully separated him from the Lance of Ruin. The Gautier crest was a blackened scar over the faintly glowing crest of Cichol.

_Will he ever heal from what she has done? Was he even going to live?_

Byleth took some time to check on Dimitri’s crest as well. Areadbhar hadn’t left the same scars, but she knew it still hurt the prince to strain his body like this. If he had a major crest of Blaiddyd would it be less painful?

The professor blinked then tried to stand up, the prince helping her get on her feet. She couldn’t help but notice the trousers already being worn by the prince, even though the situation was less than ideal for a dedicated clothes servant.

“Believe it or not, all the servants pack trousers with them at all times, including the ones that escaped with us,” Dimitri sighed. “Like a mischevious toddler getting into trouble all the time…”

"Oh don't be embarrassed. It would be worse if you had no pants."

Dimitri laughed, his lips twisting into a smile. He was mesmerising. An achor for Byleth to feel like everything was going to be okay.

"I guess you're right," he said.

Byleth smiled, placing her hand on the prince’s chest, and released Areadbhar from his body. The weapon emerged in the professor’s grasp as Dimitri returned as a human.

“No use trying to conceal this part of my power,” she said, handing him the weapon. “Come on. We need to start arranging rotations for watches and making sure we’re ready to be on the move again.”

As Byleth started to walk away, Dimitri stopped her. She turned and met his soft frown. His hands were gentle, almost beckoning her to him.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” the prince said, soft and low to the point where his voice rolled into a whisper.

Byleth stared into his beautiful blue gaze and felt... afraid. How could she tell him what she had just learned?

“Later,” Byleth said, lowering her gaze, “I’ll tell you when we’re safe from all of this.”

Dimitri stopped himself from digging for more and simply pulled her into a kiss. Byleth returned it, lips moving once against him before they floated away.

_Byleth wanted her heart to beat for him, dammit!_

“Alright. Later,” he said, smiling warmly before walking off.

Byleth’s chest ached harder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the plot thickens?


	32. The Half-Beast

Dimitri tensed and flexed his hands. His body was sore from fighting, fleeing and helping the other soldiers set up camp. Just because he was a prince didn’t mean he was exempt from contributing to his people’s survival.

He and Byleth managed to bring more order to the group of monastery fugitives. Their system will do for now though another worry plagued him. 

It wasn’t the professor’s turn to watch for enemies while the others slept, yet she insisted on staying up. She was tired, her body hunched as she forced herself to keep moving. How much of her life has she lived with dark circles under her eyes? Her body constantly teased to its limits?

Dimitri knew her habits. The way she smelled when she unravelled a hint of any emotion or even the faintest hint of a scowl or a smile underneath the numbness of her expressions. This time? This was more than just grief and anguish over the lost battle. What Byleth felt rode on a line beyond what even Dimitri has felt in his life. A foreign yet crippling aura that Dimitri never imagined Byleth could ever be trapped in.

The professor didn’t need to say it for the prince to give her space. Even if she did say she’d tell him later it wouldn’t be unexpected if she wouldn’t tell him at all.

Dimitri tensed when he saw Byleth stop in place, she interrupted her patrol to seek out the closest tree out of sight from the main camp. It was so masterfully silent that Dimitri probably would’ve lost her if he wasn’t so fixated at her at the moment.

_ Not this time. He wouldn’t lose her again. _

The prince took in a deep breath, then wandered from the camp.

“U-um…”

Dimitri stopped, then suppressed a sigh. He couldn’t help but feel envious at how effortlessly Byleth could just walk away without being noticed.

The prince turned to see Marianne approach him, the timid lady clutching the fabric of her dress with dirtied fingers. She looked much like a soldier more than a mage despite still holding onto her shy habits. It suited her better. Magic kept you from getting dirty but Marianne wearing dented armour and sporting some bruises showcased how hard she truly worked.

“Good evening, Marianne,” Dimitri said, nodding slightly, “Was there something you need?”

“Well uh, no.”

“No?”

“...Yes.”

Dimitri frowned. “Which is it?”

“I’m sorry.” Marianne fiddled with her skirt more, her eyes darting from the prince to the ground. The conversation stalled as she tried to find the words, the prince patiently waiting for a response. Dimitri was briefly startled when Marianne suddenly stopped her fiddling and let go of her skirt quite forcefully, her expression hardening slightly as she met his eyes again, “I-I couldn’t find the professor to report this to her, but I think you should know as well.”

Dimitri raised an eyebrow, then matched her stern expression, “Go on,” he said, crossing his arms.

“I’ve been doing my best to heal Ingrid ever since we’ve fled the battle,” Marianne said, “She… Manuela is looking over as well but from the looks of it Ingrid won’t be able to fight again.”

“I see. Well, we should hope that we don’t run into any Empire troops on our way to Derdriu-”

“N-no. That’s not quite it.”

Marianne’s fingers floated towards her clothes again before she stopped herself, balling her hands into fists and keeping a dignified stance as she spoke. Though now, her expression was more regretful than serious.

“Ingrid’s legs and back were crushed by her mount falling on her when she plummeted from the sky. There’s… only so much white magic can heal her in these situations. Frankly, she’s lucky to be alive.”

Memories of Ingrid training with him, Felix, and Sylvain flashed in Dimitri’s mind. She was one of the best knights he ever met.

“That can’t be. Ingrid can still fight one day, can’t she?”

Marianne furrowed her brows, a sign of pity judging from how Dimitri’s denial oozed from his tone of desperation.

“Claude has facilities to treat her further, but to save you from speculating… no. She won’t ever fight again, I think.”

Dimitri stood, staring at Marianne’s face, searching for a hidden answer beneath the knight’s tired eyes. The lady sighed, bowing her head.

“I’m sorry. Excuse me.” Marianne turned and walked back to the camp. His eyes trailed her to where she went, still searching for any hope.

Ingrid? Not being able to fight? Impossible. She was… impervious.

Dimitri ran his hand down his face, feeling drained all of a sudden.

_ One problem at a time. _

He took the information to heart, set it aside for now, and walked into the trees.

The prince was only a human at the moment, but even enhanced senses wouldn’t be able to catch Byleth in her true element. Admittedly, some of those sensitivities carried over even though the professor had released him from Areadbhar. It was easy enough to trim nails that had toughened and sharpened to a point on some mornings. No one ever needed to closely examine his teeth either.

Instead of looking for Byleth propped up against a tree, he looked upwards into the nooks and branches. It was like he was searching for an ambush, though he didn’t doubt that Byleth was looking at him right now. Many of the students tend to forget her mercenary and Ashen Demon past, and Dimitri had witnessed a skillset Byleth was fortunate enough not to showcase to the others.

Dimitri considered asking Byleth to act more as a backline assassin rather than a commander on the heart of the battle. If she could dismantle a bandit group injured with her bare hands just imagine what she could do in peak condition.

The prince had wandered quite far from the camp now and he started feeling worried. Maybe he did misjudge the direction that Byleth had wandered off to.

"I love you," he said hesitantly into the darkening sky, just loud enough for her to potentially hear. Dimitri waited a second, eyes darting to check for any movement before he turned on his heel to-

Byleth kissed him. Like appearing out of thin air she was there without a sign. Dimitri relaxed when he realised it was her and gently grabbed her arms.

They pulled away for a brief moment, Dimitri catching a hint of her bare feet in the grass and unarmed. He smiled.

_ Don't talk about the battle. Don't ask about her leg. Don't tell her about Ingrid. Not yet. _

"If I didn't know any better I would've mistaken you as my shadow," Dimitri said. "How close was I to spotting you?"

"You had the right idea,” Byleth said, shrugging. So he wasn’t close at all. Her eyes darted to her side, then she pulled herself closer to Dimitri and hugged him.

The prince wished he wasn’t so tall. It was harder to envelop her in his arms comfortably so he crouched down slightly and rested his chin on her shoulder. He breathed out a deep sigh, feeling her warmth against his body, then took in a scent that felt out of place. Byleth was grieving while being with him.

“Byleth, what’s-”

A scream. It cut through the trees and the two of them went on alert. They didn’t hesitate to run back to the camp. Was it an ambush from the Empire? Dimitri pushed past a row of trees to hear the gasps of startled soldiers, weapons drawn, standing against a delirious Ferdinand who was one arm free from his binds.

“What is this!?” he growled, clawing at his restraints. More ropes snapped. The half-beast noble was still strong despite having the heroes’ relic separated from him. Nearby Dimitri heard Flayn gasp, clutching her father for protection. Hanneman and Manuela had spells prepared, eyeing Ferdinand and glancing at each other. Ingrid was still unconscious, Felix watching over her though he had his sword out. Terror was thick, building the more the noble broke himself free.

Dimitri searched for Areadbhar. Ferdinand could easily escape if he didn’t have the strength to stop him right now. He ran over to Sylvain who kept a close watch over the relics when-

“It’s okay…”

The prince glanced over to see Marianne approach the cart. She had her usual timid approach though she showed no fear. Ignatz gritted his teeth, nervously clutching at his bow nearby. Ferdinand took one look at her and his eyes widened. His body relaxed slightly, distracted from breaking free for the moment.

“This must be confusing for you,” Marianne said calmly, her hands up and continuing to move towards the cart. “I’m sorry… Uhm, can everyone put down their weapons?”

A few of the soldiers hesitated, some gripped their weapons harder. Dimitri had one hand on Areadbhar, Sylvain was the same with his Lance of Ruin.

“This isn’t another horse,” Sylvain whispered to Dimitri, “Can she calm him down?”

Dimitri hushed him, watching the situation unfold very carefully. He briefly caught Byleth standing in the crowd. She was unarmed, though she wouldn’t need a weapon now that she had her voice to cast spells. Instead, the prince saw he move towards Bernadetta who nervously clung to a tree. The archer had gone pale.

Marianne did well to ignore the reactions of the camp and continued to focus on the panicked noble. “The fight’s over,” she said, “You can relax. We won’t hurt you.”

Dimitri glanced towards Byleth again and saw her whispering into Bernadetta’s ear. The archer became more responsive, looking towards the professor as her grip on the tree lessened.

Ferdinand growled, pulling slowly against the rope. The wood of the cart creaked, the nobleman’s sharpened teeth exposing itself against the dim campfire. His anger was slowly building up again. A need for revenge. Dimitri could see how it fogged his vision. The half-beast was ready to tear the lady apart.

“ _ Don’t speak to me like _ -”

“Ferdinand?”

The nobleman looked up to see Bernadetta step past the edge of the crowd. Marianne spun to see some backup and hinted at a feeling of relief. Byleth now leaned against the tree, her bright green eyes glowing softly in the shadows. Ferdinand gasped, another wave of confusion hitting him.

“Bernadetta? You’re alive?” he said. Most of his rage was subsiding as his old friend approach, the purple-haired lady quickening her pace towards the cart. She placed her hands on the wood, sobbing quietly.

“What has Edelgard done?” Bernadetta said. “I thought… I thought you died- But this? I…” She didn’t hesitate to reach out towards his freed hand, clutching it in her much smaller fingers and started to quiver. “I’m so glad you’re alive.”

Ferdinand’s body stopped tensing against the ropes, slightly squeezing her hands back and flinching at the sight of his claws and scales contrasted her skin. Marianne smiled and stepped back, calming the other soldiers while the two friends had their moment. Byleth still kept a close watch, Dimitri did so as well.

“They killed her, Ferdinand,” Bernadetta said, her voice low and sorrowful. “They killed Petra. The Empire.”

“W-why?” he said, sitting up. The man looked horrified, his attention fixated on her words.

“It should’ve been so clear to us,” she said, shaking her head, “They don’t care about anything but crests. Did you see how they treated Dorothea? How they constantly hung Brigid over Petra’s head? We should’ve known… We should’ve- “

“No!” Ferdinand said, breathing heavily, “Edelgard said if we won this fight she’d let Dorothea free. She said if I killed Dimitri then-”

“Don’t fall for their lies like I almost did,” Bernadetta said, tired and defeated, “I don’t want to lose you too.”

Ferdinand slumped at her words, then tensed as he caught Byleth approaching at the edge of his vision. His friend glanced over as well and she squeezed his hand to calm him.

“Peace. The fight is over,” Byleth said, calming stepping forward.

“The professor is good, Ferdinand. She’s always been good,” Bernadetta said, tugging at him. He couldn’t help but ignoring her though, a bit of aggression returning to the way he scowled.

“What the hell did you do to me?” Ferdinand hissed, gesturing to himself. “Hubert mentioned something about you making beasts.”

“I’ve done no such thing. In fact,” Byleth glanced briefly towards Dimitri,” I’ve mostly done the opposite.”

“W-we were taught that the church was evil,” Bernadetta said, “T-that you’re all secretly a cult that creates monsters to take over the world.”

Byleth raised an eyebrow towards the archer who shrunk a little at her reaction, then sighed and crossed her arms.

“I may be the goddess’ chosen, but the side I choose is my own,” the professor said. Dimitri blinked, eyes narrowing as a flicker of green hair just out of sight caught his attention.  _ Seteth?  _ “I grew up lawless and allied to none. It’s easy for me to see morality without any biases in my way.”

“And you think your prince is all good then?” Ferdinand said, teeth bared.

“Not one person is all good, Ferdinand. That’s obvious. I was once a mercenary. Do you think everything I did was ‘good’?” Byleth said, her face stone-cold. The nobleman hesitated, then huffed as he glanced away. “But what matters now,” she continued, “is that we fix the chaos that the Empire is currently spreading across the continent.”

“Edelgard was trying to unify us,” Ferdinand said. “Instead of everyone fighting for power, we all could’ve been under her rule. She was-” Those words seem to have struck Bernadetta, the archer shaking and about to cry. Ferdinand stopped to check on her.

Dimitri was taught about the power of working under a leader when he was young. It could blind you to fight for the wrong things. It must’ve been hard for Bernadetta; to realise you were a puppet fighting for a monster.

“We can discuss politics for as long as we want, but know that I have no intention to let any harm come to you as long as you don’t try to attack or run in return,” Byleth said. “We’re currently heading to the Alliance as Garreg Mach has fallen. And your body… We’ll find some way to properly reverse the effects of your demonic beast transformation.”

“W-wait,” Bernadetta said, standing up straight to meet the professor’s eye. “But Dimitri is human now, right? Couldn’t you just do the same for-”

“The… process was different for Ferdinand, I believe. I’ll need to discuss this with Hanneman, but I don’t think it’s right for me to share the details at the moment. We need to ensure we get to Claude and the Alliance first before we can properly diagnose him.”

Bernadetta blinked, then eventually let go of Ferdinand’s hand. The nobleman seemed mostly calm now. “If-if you say so.”

“I wasn’t aware that this was reversible in the first place,” Ferdinand said, his eyes meeting Dimitri’s in the distance. The nobleman frowned; an air of contempt heavy between them. Just moments ago they were fighting. The prince sighed and stepped forward. Perhaps it was about time he included himself in the discussions.

“The nature of how we can transform is still a mystery,” Dimitri said, standing beside Byleth, “But what we do know is that it is detrimental to our bodies. If anything, we’re trying to save your life right now.”

Ferdinand scowled, intently glaring at him for a second before he blinked and glanced away. “I don’t have anything else to say to you.”

Dimitri nodded, then looked towards Byleth. The glow in her eyes had disappeared and her exhaustion was clear now that the conversation was nearing the end.

_ She wasn’t just holding in a regular spell, was she? _

The prince nodded and started to guide Byleth away. He regarded Bernadetta with a small bow, “I must thank you for assisting in our retreat on the battle. I’m glad to have you on our side again.”

“O-oh! It’s nothing! R-really!” she squeaked. Huh. Dimitri didn’t mean to be intimidating. Why was she nervous all of a sudden? He followed Bernadetta’s eyes towards his hand that was currently resting idly on Byleth’s lower back. Ferdinand was also giving him a curious look.

Ah. Right. They didn’t know yet.

He wasn’t in the mood to give an answer, so he shrugged and walked away with Byleth in his arms.

“This is a good step in the right direction,” Byleth said quietly to Dimitri. “If we included Claude we might be able to learn more about the Empire from them.”

“My thoughts too,” Dimitri said. “But firstly, you need your rest. You look exhausted.”

“I’m not-”  _ Tired.  _ Byleth stopped herself, already know Dimitri was ready to catch her on her lie. He smiled as he led her to the nearest bedroll.

“You’ve done enough for today. Just get some rest, please,” the prince said.

Byleth lingered by his side, fingers loosely holding onto his. She sighed as she pressed her face into his chest, that feeling of grief rising from her once more.

“I need to do more,” Byleth said, defeated.

\---

_ At what cost? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More talking, more angst haha. Hope this isn't getting too sad, but hey, they're about to meet the meme king Claude so maybe he'll lighten things up soon


	33. The Alliance

Byleth should’ve seen it, that her power had some sort of cost. It was too easy; becoming a professor with no training, transforming into the goddess’ chosen, and using the Sword of the Creator.

Though, back then, before she arrived at Garreg Mach, those prices wouldn’t have mattered. The reality of being a mercenary was that you couldn’t rely on tomorrow coming. People she had travelled with for years could die in a flash, but if you didn’t keep moving you might as well die with them. If this power could guarantee the protection of her squad, then she might as well live her remaining life out to the fullest. It had been a while she had a good drink at a tavern in the middle of nowhere, listening to people boast about how they gutted a man or got away from the guards.

In honesty, Byleth would just walk away from all of this war nonsense if she could. She trusted the Blue Lions to handle it all, but that way of thinking was an excuse. The professor’s life was getting too complicated. Too draining. She was half-mindedly trying to find a way out.

The only thing really holding her back was Dimitri.

Byleth loved him, and he loved her. That was a commitment she didn’t want to walk away from. But with Dimitri came the Kingdom, the Church, and the war.

Byleth had tried a few times to end it with him, only to be caught on her words. This love would dissolve the moment Sothis would take over her body and no longer be the person the prince wanted to spend his life with. It would be easier sooner than later. For him and for her.

Every night when Byleth would fall asleep, she fell the familiar tug of Sothis wanting to speak to her by that stone throne. The professor would force herself to wake up instead, rejecting the goddess invitation. Dimitri would be there to hold her every time, thinking she was escaping from a bad dream.

It just made things harder for her.

\---

The remaining Garreg Mach forces were exhausted, dragging themselves through the last day of travel. Some men died crossing into the Alliance border, succumbing to their wounds. Ingrid refused to join them, pushing through her pain while Marianne did all she could. Byleth would see Sylvain drift towards her often, offering to help or even carry her on the trip. However, his white magic abilities were too limited and Marianne would rightly refuse him every time.

Felix distanced himself from the group but kept a constant eye over his friends. The swordsman was barely speaking, moments from walking away if his old friends didn't tether him. He was torn with leaving and protecting too. Byleth could see that easily.

"Professor?"

Byleth turned to see Flayn approach. She wasn't fighting at Garreg Mach but all the effort she placed into healing the injured was showing. Her smile refused to fade which was severely needed in these times.

"I've been meaning to ask," Flayn began, falling into step beside Byleth, "What abilities do you have as the goddess' chosen? You have always been an excellent fighter and tactician but I have not seen any unique magic until now."

Byleth smirked, amused, "Were you worried that being the goddess' chosen didn't have any perks besides changing my appearance?"

"W-what? No, just… well," Flayn sighed, "I suppose you are right to some extent. After you sliced through the air to return to us I thought you would do it again in battle."

Byleth hummed. If she had the Sword of the Creator, would she be able to-

_ "You are a goddess. Anything is possible." _

Byleth shook her head, Sothis' words ringing faintly in her mind. She would not indulge in her games for now.

The professor glanced to Flayn who eyed her curiously and something clicked. It wasn't the innocent curiosity that the young mage often expressed. She was examining her. Checking for something, but what?

_ Play along. _

Those were Byleth's thoughts, and it was somewhat comforting to know that She shrugged and gave a half-hearted smile, "Sorry, there's a lot on my mind at the moment."

"Oh! No need to apologise at all! You must be exhausted from leading the camp," Flayn said, flustered. "Well if it cheers you up, Ignatz says we shall be arriving at the Alliance rendezvous shortly."

That was good to hear. Byleth was looking forward to beginning negotiations with Claude. Despite the silver lining, she was aware that would come at a cost too.

“Are you sure you’re doing alright, professor?” Flayn asked, frowning slightly. Byleth raised an eyebrow to her. “You’re sighing a lot.”

Was she? Byleth didn’t realise she wasn’t hiding that.

“I’ll be fine. I can relax once I make sure we all make it to Derdriu,” Byleth said, though it was obvious Flayn didn’t believe her.

The thought was settling within the professor uncomfortably. Her emotions were muted and in some way that gave her strength. It wasn’t to say she wasn’t capable of feeling, but it was hard to remember that there were people more sensitive than her. Flayn had a creeping void in the way her eyes stared blankly ahead. She dragged her feet but kept quiet about how they were aching. Byleth was looking at a lady who had been saved from horror only to lose their home in the next moment.

“When my father and I travelled,” Byleth started, catching young Flayn’s attention, “It was usually just us, but sometimes a merchant or noble hires several groups and you end up making the most unlikely friends. Other mercenaries, all trying to earn gold and find our place in the world.”

A spark in Flayn’s eyes, a glimmer of curiosity pushed through the gloom to bask in Byleth’s story.

“I knew you as a travelling mercenary, but I do not believe I have ever asked for a tale,” Flayn said.

“Well, not all stories are good, but this one was, I think,” Byleth said, smiling. “It was the eight of us. We stopped by a tavern when it started raining too heavily to travel through. Too many dirt paths, we’d just wade through freezing cold water if we pressed on. Course, waiting gets boring.”

“Did you gather around and sing? Tell stories or practice hand to hand combat?” Flayn asked.

“Something better. We all got drunk,” Byleth said. The young lady gasped, looking surprised at the professor’s answer.

“As much as I am the goddess’ chosen and professor at Garreg Mach, I do have a past too,” Byleth chuckled. “You weren’t entirely wrong. The men sang songs and threw bottles at each other while the poor owner tried to calm us down. Then, we saw it.”

“Saw what?” Flayn said.

“This horrible bear statue. It was hidden in the back of the main hall. The fur was patchy and matted and all you could smell on it was mould and dust. It was missing a few badly stitched on claws and an eye was lopsided,” Byleth said, gesturing in the air the height of it. “And we got an idea.

“You see. One of the men, Garus, he pissed off most the group that day. Being lazy and nearly losing some of our stuff. We even caught him trying to pocket something from my dad’s pouch. He was lucky he didn’t lose his whole arm. Though speaking of his arm, he was one hairy son-of-a-bitch. You could barely see his skin underneath all of that.

“Garus ended up being the first to pass out. So as a bit of a prank, we paid the tavern some gold to borrow the statue.”

“What?” Flayn exclaimed. “What could do you with such a horrendous statue?”

Byleth smirked, “Well. We carried it upstairs, stripped Garus naked in his bed and dressed it up, and carefully popped out the mirror leaving only the frame standing.”

Flayn’s eyes widened. She could probably guess where this was going.

“Come morning,” Byleth continued, “We honestly forgot we had set that whole thing up, but we all woke up to a high-pitched screech from Garus’ room. You wouldn’t expect that from a man that burly. A few of the guys and I barged in to see that he fell for it. He thought the bear in the ‘mirror’ was him and he pissed himself. He was as red as a beet as we all laughed at the doorway. He stopped being such an ass afterwards. Probably afraid that we’d pull something like that again.”

Flayn was blushing too, embarrassed to hear such a story. Though, there was a bit more life in her expression. She smiled, then a small giggle escaped her lips.

“Oh my, you are certainly more devilish than I thought, professor,” Flayn said, shaking her head.

“We were considering having him sleep next to the bear thinking he’d spent the night with it, but we thought he probably wouldn’t mind that as much,” Byleth smirked. Flayn gasped again, then reached over to swat her arm.

“How rude!” Flayn exclaimed, smiling. “Though I must say, it did sound like a lot of fun. It must be exciting, meeting all these interesting people and being on the road all the time.”

“It was,” Byleth said. “It had its ups and downs, but so does anything really.”

“Do you know where they are now? How this Garus is doing?”

_ An arrow through his eye, an ambush set up by Phil trying to take the haul for himself. His body was then crushed by the wagon wheel when he tried to flee. Byleth had dug the shallow grave. _

“I don’t know. It’s been a while since I’ve run into him on the road,” Byleth said. “Though I’ll be sure to introduce the two of you if it ever happens.”

Flayn nodded. There was a bit more life in her step like it used to be.

“You must tell more of these stories some times. To the others too! We are no longer young and naive students after all,” she said.

“Of course,” Byleth nodded. "Course, I-"

Something caught her attention. A movement at the corner of her eye.

"I need to check on the group. Just because we're close to our destination doesn't mean we need to push ourselves."

Flayn nodded, wandering back to Seteth as Byleth glanced behind her. Ignatz was nowhere to be found. Nor was Marianne. Some of the messengers and merchants that came with them had gone missing, masterfully fading from the group without anyone noticing. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they were Claude’s spies all along.

_ Don’t be alarmed. Play it calmly. _

Byleth moved to Dimitri’s side who kept his expression stern and unreadable. Before she needed to say anything, he nodded to her. He knew.

“Everybody halt!” the prince called out. The party slowed to a stop, wagons and mounts pausing in the muddy path.

“What’s going on?” Felix asked, hand on the hilt of his sword. Bernadetta was with him, hand nervously on her bow. Ferdinand was still tied on the wagon though his head was tilted upwards as he scanned the canopy above.

Dimitri reached for Areadbhar. His eyes flickered then took a battle stance towards a figure coming out from between the trees.

“Very sharp, prince.”

A woman with long pink hair and wearing dark armour stepped out of the trees. She brushed the bits of dried leaves that had snagged on her clothes and she hissed quietly to herself.

“Hilda!” Dimitri exclaimed. She didn’t seem threatening, though there was always a dangerous air around her that Byleth felt. In many ways, she was similar to Claude, always hiding what she was truly capable of.

Hilda carried a hefty axe on her hip though she made no move to draw it. Instead, she kept her arms in the air. She made no move for her weapon as she stepped closer. The woman smirked, her hands then falling into a wide shrug as Alliance soldiers dropped from the canopy and surrounded the group.

“You’re going to be Alliance prisoners for now. I hope you understand,” Hilda said. “Don’t resist. We have you surrounded.”

Ferdinand growled as Bernadetta cowered by his wagon. There seemed to be more soldiers around them than the main group.

“Don’t hurt them,” Byleth said, reaching her arm out, “They’re with us, not the Empire.”

Hilda raised an eyebrow, her manicured hands resting on her hips, “I don’t know. They seem pretty evil to me.”

“They are-”

“W-we have information!” Bernadetta blurted out, interrupting Byleth. “We…”

The archer looked towards Ferdinand who tensed against his restraints. He barred his teeth at the soldiers but started to relax, realising the situation wasn’t in their control at all. The nobleman sighed, looking towards Hilda.

“As we were once part of Edelgard’s inner circle, wouldn’t you like to hear about what we might know?” Ferdinand seethed, glaring at Hilda. She grinned, playfully stepping towards the half-beast.

“Claude _ would _ like that a lot, I guess. But…” Hilda shifted her hand onto the handle of her axe, “How will I know if your claws won’t hurt him? You’ve killed a lot of people, haven’t you? Kingdom guards, Alliance soldiers, Church mages- Even before you turned into this… thing.”

Ferdinand snarled, then shrunk back.

Hilda gestured for the Alliance soldiers to restraint the two Empire crest-bearers first, a heavy set of shackles had been brought just for Ferdinand. The nobleman was too preoccupied with making sure Bernadetta wouldn’t panic, muttering things to her that Byleth couldn’t hear from this distance.

Alliance soldiers started to approach Felix, Sylvain, and Ingrid who still laid injured on a horse. Felix’s glares could cut through all of them, but Byleth got to him first.

“Don’t resist,” Byleth called out. The two Blue Lion men looked at her, conflicted, “I won’t let them hurt you.”

“And we won’t try,” Hilda said, smiling. They started to put them in chains, but Marianne stopped them from touching Ingrid.

They eventually made their way through the rest. Hanneman, Manuela, Seteth and Flayn were gathered by Ignatz who had reappeared. He struggled to keep a stern face but he eventually managed to keep the situation in control.

All that was left was her and Dimitri. She and the prince sourly complied to chains, confiscating their weapons in the process. Both of them had enough of their fair share of being prisoners by now.

Hilda seemed pleased how things were going smoothly.

“Alright. I know it wasn’t fun to have to do this, but know that Claude has everyone’s best interest at heart. I hope you understand that,” she said, flicking her long hair off her shoulder before turning around. She glanced over her shoulder, “Professor, Seteth, Flayn- you are you stand trial for censoring the crimes you have committed under the Church of Seiros. I hope you have a good defence prepared.”

“W-what?!” Seteth exclaimed. Alliance soldiers swarmed him as he tried to push ahead. Flayn squealed in fear as she watched her brother struggle. Byleth gritted her teeth as she was pulled along with the group. She managed to catch Seteth's eyes, expecting confusion, but instead he looked angry. Byleth narrowed her eyes.

_What did the church do?_


	34. The Trial

Byleth had never seen Seteth protest so strongly before. Even when he did it was at least dignified and respectable. Like a dog on a leash, he was tugged through the halls of what appeared to be Claude’s manor. The sound of the ocean just outside his windows did nothing to calm her or Flayn as they walked silently while being pushed forward by guards.

The others had found it weird that they were holding this ‘trial’ in Claude’s home rather than somewhere more formal. But Byleth knew this was one tactic acting as the foundation of many. What Claude was accusing them of, he wanted it to happen somewhere private. It had to be some kind of power play.

As promised, her Blue Lions were getting the treatment they needed, with Ingrid still being the one in the worst condition. She wasn’t sure if Claude was keeping that promise the same for the Empire defectors. Hopefully, Ignatz or Marianne would've helped in that regard.

Dimitri’s murderous look only amplified the further they went. Teeth baring, muscled arms quietly resisting against the binds. Byleth trusted the prince. He has come far controlling his demonic beast side though it wasn’t perfect. Being taken prisoner by an old friend only seemed to amplify his imperfections. Hilda took him away personally when they were at Claude’s manor, perhaps she could quell a bit of his anger.

The bindings around Byleth’s wrists were getting sore too, her skin reddening beneath the metal.

_ You could do it, you know. You have the power to be free from this- _

Byleth squinted her eyes shut. Yes, she could run. She had the power to do whatever she wanted. Her eyes passed by Seteth’s expression, a crack in his usual calm as he shoved against his binds as another futile protest. She’d rather hear what Claude had to say about them and the church first.

A set of double doors opened in front of them and led them to what appears to be a dining hall. To no one’s surprise, Claude was already inside currently digging into what appears to be a finely cooked steak, paired with an expensive-looking bottle of wine. A luxury meal, one that even some nobles couldn't afford right now.

He nodded to them before wiping his mouth with a cloth.

“Glad you could make it. Nice seeing you again, teach,” Claude said.

Byleth could tell he hadn’t changed much in the past five years, save for his appearance. He still carried this mature yet mischievous air around him. A mask to be sure, hiding the true potential of what he and his mind were capable of.

She always knew him as dangerous. That was probably why she picked to teach Dimitri and the Blue Lions. The prince seemed the most earnest out of the other house leaders.

The three of them were forced down on seats, binds still around their wrists. Flayn, who was sitting next to her brother, sunk back in her chair to hide behind him. Byleth sat forward, slamming her hands just strong enough to show her displeasure while not being too aggressive. _ Let’s negotiate, _ she glared, _ what do you have to say to me? _

Claude looked receptive to Byleth’s invitation, smiling as he took a small sip from his wine glass. He looked up to the guards that were surrounding them and waved them away. They all saluted and filed out the door before slamming it behind them. It looked as though it was just the four of them, but this was Claude’s home. She kept an eye out for any hidden figures out of sight.

“Claude, you are being ridiculous!” Seteth exclaimed. “What crimes were you talking about? Is this really the time for your games?"

“Oh, I can’t think of a better time to talk about this,” Claude said. He always has a slight smile on his lips, like he never stopped playing a game. “Especially since I’ve been dedicated to digging around ever since I was enrolled in Garreg Mach.”

"The church is gone now. Whatever you've brought us here to accuse us of can wait until we've figured out how to thwart the Empire!" Seteth said.

Claude hummed, blinking slowly as he took in the man's expression. The Alliance leader's eyes flickered, then a small frown appeared.

"Then how do you suggest we fight against the Andrastian Empire when you've been censoring the information we needed to fight back for the past few years? Decades, even?" Claude asked, hands clasped and his chin resting delicately on them.

Byleth's eyes slid over to Seteth, his aggression simmered to cold realisation. The professor had her suspicions, especially when Sothis became more prevalent in her life and found the church's archives were near empty on the goddess. Although, was Seteth capable of whatever crime he was going to be accused of?

"There will be no liars here," Claude said, "You said it yourself. We need to take down the Empire, so do us a favour and don't try to hide anything, alright?"

"Like you're the one to talk," Seteth spat. Flayn was still hiding behind her brother. She hadn't reacted strongly to the truth at all. "I've always known that you'd be troublesome, ever since your fixation on that library of ours."

Byleth sighed. It was bothersome to be the only one not having anything to offer to this 'trial'.

_ Then why are you here? _

Byleth winced. Sothis was melding into her thoughts so easily. As she recomposed herself, she felt Claude’s eyes on her. The man winked at her.

“Don’t worry, teach. We’ll get to you soon,” Claude said. The line between friendly and threatening was blurring all the time that Byleth couldn’t help but feel drained for keeping her guard up.

Seteth sat back, the cuffs around his arms clinking against the table. “Well then. You sound like you have more to accuse us of when we could be planning strategies against the Empire,” he said, “Just get on with it and tell us what other topics you want to slander us with.”

Claude grin widened slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Where should I begin?" he said to himself as he stood up from his seat. Claude reached down, picking up something from the ground and placed a stack of books on the table. Byleth felt a sharp pang in her chest. Her father's journal was there.

"My findings are generally for Lady Rhea and the Church of Seiros, so I'm treating you more as accomplices. Seteth, I'm sure you're aware of the archbishop's actions after our teach here disappeared five years ago?" Claude said.

"But I'm not," Byleth interjected. She was growing desperate for some kind of understanding of the situation. "Forgive me. I had been so busy heading straight into a war I haven't been caught up."

Claude blinked, "Is that all you're left out on?"

"I wouldn't know," Byleth said, eyeing him, "You seem to be more aware of the church than I."

"Interesting," Claude hummed, sitting back down on his seat. "Not to worry, I’m sure if we continue you’ll catch on. I think Seteth there is begging me to get on with it."

Claude thumbed through the first book in the stack, notes and other pieces of paper pressed between the pages. He stopped somewhere in the middle of the book, humming.

"Don't you think it's strange how Rhea has been ordering these kinds of tomes to be censored by the church? Topics that cover our history and the truth behind crests?” he said. “For years, the church has been controlling their past, amassing clueless followers to fuel their true goal..."

Claude spun the book around and pushed it towards the three of them. An annotated page of the Crest of Flames was presented.

"... to revive the being they had been worshipping all this time. The progenitor god. Am I correct so far?"

Seteth and Flayn remained silent, looking at the book. At a closer glance, it appeared to detail the theory that all crests originated from the Crest of Flames and the author’s attempt at correlating the crest symbols. Byleth glanced at the two green-haired individuals. For Rhea's inner circle, it would make sense for them to be aware of the professor's… state. But by the looks on them, they didn't seem too proud of it.

"How much have you been left in the dark since you first met Lady Rhea?" Claude asked Byleth, not missing a hint at all.

“The first time I met Rhea was the day she turned me into a professor. She didn't recognise me at first because my father left the church when I was a baby," Byleth said, gesturing to her father's journal. “Of course, that changed when I was introduced as Jeralt’s daughter.” Claude looked at it and gave a small_ ahh_ as he picked it up.

"I have to say your father's journal has been instrumental with my research, especially the part stating you were born with no heartbeat, never crying, and numb from emotion,” he said. “Doesn’t sound like what an ordinary baby would do, especially the heartbeat. Seteth, tell us, why do you thi-”

"It's because of the crest stone attached to my heart," Byleth said. Seteth's chair creaked as he sat up, surprised. “That, at least, I know.”

"H-how did you-"

"So the crest stone is still with you?" Claude asked, interrupting Seteth.

"Was there another?" Byleth said.

Claude looked at Seteth who was still on his feet. The advisor looked pale, Flayn acting like a ghost as she clutched to him in his shadow.

"I think it'd be best if you were the one to tell her what happened in those five years," Claude said, his voice low as he clasped his hands on the table. 

Seteth blinked, then sat back down and cleared his throat. The man looked cold- pale even, but Byleth could see the weight he was shouldering and held himself as high as he could. He and Flayn looked at each other for a long moment, before the man sighed and met the professor's eyes.

"I've… been meaning to tell you this, ever since you saved us from the Empire. I just never found the right time." Seteth looked up at Claude and scowled, "Evidently, this still isn't the right place and time but it will have to do.

"Rhea snapped when you fell into that abyss five years ago. We fought off the Empire forces successfully that time but the Archbishop… she wasn’t herself as we or her followers knew her. All she wanted was to recover your body but you had disappeared.

"I had served Lady Rhea for longer than one might think, but it was only around that time when I started to realise how much she had been hiding from… all of us."

Flayn let go of her brother and situated herself more properly on her seat, chains rattling against her delicate wrists.

"I… Rhea started hurting people. Not violently, but through experimentation," Flayn said. "She only trusted my brother and me to help her process as her desperation to replicating your 'situation' grew. Before she asked for our aid, we barely knew that any of this was happening."

"As it turns out, you were not the first to be implanted with a crest stone," Seteth added, sounding ashamed. "But Rhea was more patient and more humane. Her 'failed' subjects would go on to die of old age before the process began anew. I don't quite know the details, but the combination of your mother being a vessel, your father being blessed with the Crest of Seiros and having the crest stone implanted to save your life as you were being born somehow was enough to give you the goddess' powers."

Seteth gritted his teeth, "Rhea was desperate to revive her mother after she was 'taken away' for a second time. That's what she would mutter all the time.” He shook his head, squinting his eyes as he shuddered. “Everything that she’s done, and what we’ve tried to help her achieve doesn’t matter either way. Those people died, and you didn’t end up becoming the goddess. Rhea was heartbroken when you sat on the goddess’ throne and nothing happened, but she never gave up hope, even if it turned into an... unhealthy obsession.”

Claude frowned, “It explains why teach’s hair and eye colour transformed to match Rhea’s… or yours for that matter. It was quite an obvious tell, to be honest-”

“I’m aware,” Seteth said, “Your snooping increased after that day to my frustration.”

“Sorry, Seteth,” Claude winked. It was rare to see Seteth look like he wanted to die and kill a man at the same time, but his eyes were saying enough.

“But to get back on topic, Rhea continued with her experiments despite all the failures, resulting in the kidnapping and deaths of many of her devout individuals. When the Empire captured Lady Rhea, they collected all of her research along with her,” Claude leaned forward, “I have reason to believe this was how the Empire has excelled in manipulating crests. You’re the reasons why the Empire has been trampling every town and village in sight, turning people into abominations and taking over the continent- because the archbishop was willing to take her experiments further than anyone else in the world. I should have you all locked away for life because of what you’ve helped her achieve.”

“That’s an absurd accusation! Can’t you see we’re here to fight back against the Empire too? You’re losing valuable allies in this war!” Seteth protested, chains clinking against one another.

Claude sat up calmly, clasping his hands behind his back. His expression shadowed.

“Even if we were to fight as allies, you wouldn’t like what my orders would be.”

“Which is?!”

“Once we stop the Empire, we execute Lady Rhea and abolish the church.”

Seteth and Flayn went silent, then tears began to roll from the young lady’s eyes.

“E-execute? Why have you grown to become so cold, Claude?” she said, voice trembling. “Lady Rhea has done nothing but try to help. She might’ve made some mistakes but in her heart, she is truly trying to help her people!”

“It’s like you’re adopting the Empire’s beliefs!” Seteth said.

“And Edelgard was right to some extent, Seteth,” Claude said, stepping towards the man. “The Church’s influence has created a world of inequality revolving around crests and nobility. There are many good men and women out there, their lives undercut by those born lucky. Is that the world you want to live in? Your livelihood dictated by the blood you were born with and not who you are?

“I’m not saying I agree with Edelgard’s methods, but before this war started I felt as though she had the strongest principles to make the world right out of all of us,” Claude sighed. "We can't overlook her crimes either. For too long Rhea has been left to her own devices, and look where it has led us."

Byleth closed her eyes and let the silence give her space to breathe. Perhaps none of this wouldn’t have happened if she rushed out to try and protect the archbishop. Maybe if she had never disappeared for five years she could’ve saved the Church and the Kingdom.

“I don’t know what your plans are to win this war without us, Claude,” Byleth spoke, her eyes still closed as she thought, “But I assume you’re about to send us away to our cells.”

“Naturally. I’m sorry, teach, but five years is a long time to lose trust in someone. I don’t look like it, but I’m the only one left standing between the Empire dominating Fodlan and I don’t have time to deal with you three, but I can’t let you go either. If we manage to succeed then I can’t risk letting you flee and letting history repeat itself.”

_ Do it, Byleth. Show them your power. Prove you will save them from this war. _

“I know you don’t trust the church, but at least trust what’s left of the Kingdom. Dimitri might be… different, but he still fights for the same cause. He wants to take down the Empire as much as you do right now,” Byleth said, forcing away Sothis’ words.

“You’re not seriously agreeing to be locked away?!” Seteth exclaimed, his fists slamming the table in front of him. The advisor turned towards Claude, “We’re fighting for the same cause!”

“From what my scouts have told me, Dimitri is quite loyal to you, professor,” Claude said, “Though if he is willing to cooperate then I’ll only send Seteth and Flayn to the dungeon… To be honest, I’m not sure what to do with you. I assumed you were part of Rhea’s plot the entire time from how the archbishop just… took a liking to you straight away.”

_ They can’t win this war without us, what are you doing? _

Byleth clenched her jaw. _ “You heard it yourself that Claude intends to abolish the church. Don’t you feel something against that?” _she thought.

_ … Then show them why the church should stay. It is true that it seems like Rhea has misled her teachings, but I chose to live amongst the people and guide them to a better future. We only need to learn from history and teach those who intend to abuse my power that it will only bring ruin. _

Byleth frowned, ignoring the stares from the other individuals in the room. _ “Then you know nothing of the people you live amongst. There will always be someone out there wanting more power, more wealth- and to force them to think otherwise will only ruin the world you want to guide.” _

“It’s only fair that I go with Seteth and Flayn. I understand your suspicions and I agree to be trialled after the war… if you succeed,” Byleth said.

“And we will,” Claude said, nodding towards Byleth with a slight smile. “I- Thank you for understanding, teach.”

“We’re not enemies, Claude, and if you think this is best then-”

** _"I don’t quite understand, Byleth. Please explain it to me."_ **

Time halted, the world pulsing into darkness where Sothis hovered in front of her. It was jarring to no longer having Sothis in her childish form, the goddess looming over her in piercing green holy light.

** _"I’ve restored the land after the human’s petty wars. They continue to target me even though I’ve opened their eyes to knowledge that has propelled them into forming more advanced, better societies for all. Why do they still want to destroy me?"_ **

Byleth gasped, the timeless space more suffocating than usual. She tried to meet Sothis in the eyes as she spoke, eyes squinting and fingers digging into her skin.

“I’ve lived through almost every aspect of civilisation that exists. I’ve had to survive squalid conditions, travelled to places for and experienced different cultures, and dined the finest meals among the nobility. They’re all the same, people. In every part of the world, there are those that _will _abuse power when it is given to them and crave more when it is taken away. They may be less in numbers, but they overpoweringly shadow the ones who are genuinely grateful,” Byleth took in a few deep breaths, shaking her head, “And just because you have more power doesn’t mean you can force respect out of every living being in Fodlan.”

**_"Are you saying the world is better without me? "_**Sothis said, floating closer to Byleth. The professor stood up against the darkness pressing up against her and stared her friend in the eye. It was almost ironic how Sothis said it herself. It didn’t matter how much she tried to fix things or make this better, she only brought more wars and destruction to herself. Something with no grasp of humanity should aid humankind.

Byleth understood now, why Sothis might’ve adopted a childish form for so long. She might be powerful, but she wasn’t wise. The sign of a bad ruler, albeit god that dreams to walk alongside her people.

“Yes. That is my belief.”

** _"… Then we are at an impasse."_ **

The darkness shrunk back into Byleth and the force of it made her choke. She coughed, catching her breath as her eyes readjusted to the light of the room. Seteth, Flayn and Claude looked at her.

“Are you alright, professor?” Flayn asked.

“I- I think,” Byleth said, sitting back up. “S-sorry, it's nothing.”

“It's alright, you just surprised us,” Flayn said.

“But it seems like our cute little professor has caught her breath, so I’ll continue,” Claude said. “Five years is a long time to lose trust in someone. I don’t look like it, but I’m the only one left standing between the Empire dominating Fodlan-”

Byleth’s blood drained from her face.

“-If we manage to succeed then I can’t risk letting you flee and letting history… you doing alright, Byleth?” Claude asked, looking serious.

Byleth stood up, nearly knocking the chair backwards and took another step back from them. She looked out the window, stared at objects in the room trying to find her bearings. She had just lived this moment, which only made it more foreign to her.

“We’re not doing this, Sothis,” Byleth said out loud. She looked around the room, trying to catch where the goddess might be floating around. “I’m trying to decide what’s best for the future of this war, for Fodlan!”

_"Am I not doing the same? We all need to be in this fight, and with my power, we’ll be sure to bring peace once more."_

Byleth swore to only use the power in battle, to protect her students and to live to fight another day. Not like this. Never for selfish reasons or… to manipulate the conversation to _her _favour.

Seteth and Flayn glanced at each other, then looked back at Byleth as if she has gone mad. Byleth didn’t care. She didn’t condone the use of Sothis’ divine pulse that had reverted her decision. Shit. _ Shit! _

Byleth cursed, then turned towards Claude, the Alliance leader cautiously approaching her, “Don’t let me join the battle! Put me in the cell and-”

Time fractured again, and the professor found herself sitting on her seat, chains blistering her wrists.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya, it's been a while. Disappeared for a long time but now I'm back for a bit
> 
> I struggle to write big stuff like this cus I keep coming up with better and better ideas and I spend a lot of time making sure it matches with the rest of the story. Hopefully this didn't break the continuity but there's a lot of stuff I miss even though I try to re-read the whole thing several times before I start every writing session. If I did break the flow or if you have any feedback for me please let me know!


	35. The Silence

If Dimitri had things his way, he’d be right beside Byleth trying to understand what Claude was accusing her and the other two about. The prince wouldn’t be surprised if the Alliance leader was just being dramatic, using the guise of a trial to push more information out of them. He found himself constantly tensing his hands in his gloves, the feeling of leather stretching and rubbing against each other staving off his frustrations. The prince could’ve forced through, he could transform into a demonic beast for goddess’ sake, but fought those desires away.

_ “Remember, prince. You better behave or else you’re not the only one going to pay for it.” _

Hilda's warning was brief and straight to the point. She was sharper than a lot of people gave her credit for, and the way she acted only made her appear sharper to Dimitri. She stayed for a bit, looking over the group and organising the Alliance soldiers to bring food and whatever else the fugitives needed while a decision was being made. Of course, after a while, she had grown bored and wandered off. Or perhaps it was some kind of dismissive way to show that she trusted Dimitri.

Though now alone, the prince was left with a small dilemma. The moments when Byleth was away he felt the most frantic, finding the need to do some job or make a decision. The professor was always there guiding him, like an advisor of sorts, and her absence was more noted than ever.

The prince looked across the courtyard, a sparse amount of guards watching he and those of his group that managed to survive, and felt restless. If he was still at Garreg Mach, he’d be hounded with responsibilities to his benefit. However, these moments, where his only job was to wait, he found more daunting.

_ What the hell are you, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd? Just some impatient dog waiting for his master to come back? _

It certainly felt that way, and for the first time in a long time, he started to feel a pang of embarrassment. If anything, maybe he should be embarrassed for Byleth with how much he stuck to her. Did she think that of him sometimes?

The prince shook his head and sighed, drawing some glances to himself. It was rare for Dimitri to express this kind of gloom but the prince wasn’t in any mood whatsoever to look deeper into the eyes that had now hastily looked away.

_ Now… what to do? _

Dimitri started counting heads, taking the final numbers of people that had made it. Surprisingly, it was more than he anticipated which was good. There were many homes and markets that were still active around the Alliance capital city. Hopefully, those with no ability to fight could find a life here until the war settled.

The prince’s attention was drawn to a merchant with who appears to be clutching a photo, sobbing gently. He tried to not cause a scene, but Dimitri could sense the tears of grief. What had this man lost? A family? A future?

A sharp twang in the prince’s chest made him clear his throat. He had grown so numb to his own losses, his eye, his kingdom, his friends… no.

Dimitri shook his head. If he stewed on these things for any longer he’d trap himself with the voices in his head again, telling him that he failed.

_ Then what hasn’t he lost yet? _

The prince approached the nearest Alliance guard. His height and stature (and possibly a few other factors) made the two men tense up but Dimitri tried his best to appear… well, approachable, he supposed.

“Where are the injured being treated? I wish to visit them,” he said.

\---

Dimitri was led to a makeshift tent, the mix of dried blood and medicine immediately stung his nostrils. He found the heightened senses to be a bit of a burden sometimes, but at least he was able to taste his food better than he used to.

His ears perked up to a few familiar voices talking inside the tent. They were somewhat hushed, though Dimitri picked them out easily.

“-ats with that face, Ingrid?” Sylvain said, his voice muffled through the tent entrance.

“You’re not going to run off and flirt with the locals, are you?” Ingrid said.

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Felix said, “That’s the least of our worries.”

Ingrid sighed, “I doubt it. If Sylvain starts a scandal I won’t be there to save him from getting exiled from the city.”

“C-c’mon guys. I won’t, I swear it!” Sylvain said.

Silence then lulled for a bit, followed by a few noises of confusion. Was everything okay in there? Dimitri kept an ear out, hand raised but still far from pushing the entrance flap aside. Should he even interrupt? He wasn’t sure if he could continue with the flow of the conversation. Goddess- when was the last time he had tried to speak casually with his friends again? That is- if they still consider him one.

A nervous chuckle came from inside and Ingrid’s voice was directed straight towards the prince.

“Dimitri. We can all see you standing through the tent,” she said.

_ … Well, he’s lost his chance to walk away now. _

Dimitri took in a breath and stepped in, ducking as he passed into the sterile environment. The room was lined with several beds, some current housing injured merchants and soldiers who were being tended to. Closer to the entrance was Ingrid’s bed, Sylvain and Felix sitting beside her with wooden stools.

“Seriously, do you even see yourself sometimes? I swear half the light in the room disappeared while you were looming right there. It was kind of creeping me out,” Felix said, frowning.

“Felix, be nice,” Ingrid said through gritted teeth, shaking her head. Her expression softened as she turned back to Dimitri, “Come, find yourself a seat.”

“No, I’ll… I’ll stand,” Dimitri said, crossing his arms. Was he feeling sheepish of all things? If anything, he was starting to feel self-conscious. He hadn’t thought this through at all.

“Suit yourself but I feel like my neck’s gonna be sore just trying to talk to you,” Sylvain said, smiling. He stood up and gently kicked his seat towards the prince. Before Dimitri could protest, the knight had already walked away to get a new one.

“Suppose I’ll accept then,” Dimitri said, taking a seat. Ingrid nodded as he did, approving the gesture. Ingrid was always the most in-tune out of the others, though unlike Dedue she was a lot more subtle with her approach. The prince could see that the front of the bed had been elevated slightly for her to speak easier to them, though a blanket covered the state of her legs.

_ Now’s not the time to take statistics. Just… talk, Dimitri. _

“I knew you were strong, but to be honest I wasn’t expecting you to grow as tall as you had now,” Ingrid said to Dimitri.

“Are you kidding? Have you met the king? I swear, when we were kids I’d sometimes think I was seeing a walking statue,” Felix said.

A distant memory flickered in the prince’s mind. “Have I ever told you that… well, when my father used to prop me on his shoulders, he hadn’t realised how much I had grown and… he accidentally hit my head on one of the castle chandeliers,” Dimitri said, nervously.

Sylvain let out a laugh, covering his mouth though it didn’t cover his smile. “Did it break?”

“What? No-” Dimitri thought for a moment, “Well, maybe a hanging piece fell but-”

“Wow. I had no idea your habit of breaking things pre-dated the training grounds,” Felix said, shaking his head.

The others chuckled and the prince couldn’t help but smile slightly. He fought the voices in the back of his mind that told him he was wasting his time, that a war needed to be fought and he didn’t have time for idle chatter. But no, he had to cherish these moments. He needed the reminder he was a person, just like the childhood friends he was surrounded by.

“I gotta confess though… I might’ve broken something in your castle too,” Sylvain said, scratching the back of his head. Dimitri raised a curious look, as did the others. “When I came over to play and was waiting for you I uh… found your wooden sword and swung it too hard that it fell off its hilt.”

“What?!” Dimitri exclaimed, “I remember that! The moment I picked it up it fell apart and-”

“You started crying? Yeah, I remember that too,” Felix said, smirking.

“Wait you cried? I pretended I had a stomach ache and ran home after I broke it,” Sylvain said.

“Of course, I cried! That was my favourite-”

A hush came from a nearby Alliance nurse, not minding that she was shushing the prince of Faerghus, and returned to treating her current patient. The two men did as told and closed their mouths, bringing on the sudden weight of silence. Ingrid’s cheeks began to turn red as she tried to suppress her laughter while Felix buried his face in his hands in embarrassment. Ingrid seemed to be enjoying this the most, her laugh peaking through despite her attempts to muffle it. The others around her relaxed, her enjoyment infectious.

"Oh I wish I was there, I think I was busy with tutoring on that da-"

Dimitri was the first to pick up a slight yelp of pain from Ingrid. She shifted slightly on the bed, trying to mask her reaction.

“Sorry, I just shifted oddly, it’s fine,” she said reassuringly.

Dimitri opened his mouth to inquire but shut himself up. Maybe she was purposefully not bringing attention to it, but should he say to move on the conversation? He didn't want to be rude or-

“It’s fine, Dimitri,” Ingrid said, reaching over to put a hand on his shoulder. The prince caught a glimpse of the slightly battered, scarred, and crooked fingers the female knight possessed. She had always been proud of them. A mark of a knight, she’d gladly show them like a medal. That and it would deter some unsavoury suitors her father had tried to pair with her.

“How are you feeling? With your legs and all?” Dimitri asked, leaning forward in his seat.

Ingrid looked towards her toes that poked out a bit through the fabric, her body tensing. “They’re still numb. I can't feel my feet, though I can feel a bit in my legs. Most of the damage was in the lower spine. Claude has told me personally he’ll spare whatever he can to heal me, which was nice. Manuela is busy helping Hanneman set up whatever he managed to bring from the monastery but once she’s free she’s taking a closer look herself,” she said. “It might take me… I don’t know, maybe a few months until I can fight again.”

Dimitri winced. That was longer than he had hoped for. For Ingrid's sake.

“I’m not even sure if Claude wants us to tag along in battle. His formations and tactics could be completely different to what we’re used to,” Felix said.

“Besides, does he even trust us? We haven’t seen the guy in nearly six years,” Sylvain added.

“O-oh… Sorry to interrupt.”

The group turned towards a woman entering the tent, her hands clasped nervously in front of her blue dress.

“Marianne? Is something wrong?” Sylvain asked.

“No, nothing’s wrong. I’m just here to tend to Ingrid’s injuries and… Prince Dimitri? Claude wished to speak with you,” Marianne said.

Dimitri noted how different she looked now she had shed her armour. The sleeves of her dress were long and the hem floated just above her ankles, doing a good job masking her other knightly self. A faint glow came from her fingertips, the lady probably practised white magic before coming in.

“Of course, I’ll see him right away,” Dimitri said, standing up. As he walked away, he sensed a faint sigh from Marianne.

“And the two of you should step out for a while. Ingrid might want a bit of privacy.”

“Isn’t it better if we were here to support her through this?” Sylvain asked.

“W-well… I was hoping to look at her spine, so...” Marianne trailed off, her hand trying to gesture something.

Sylvain stood there for a moment, cogs turning in his head. Dimitri and Felix were quick to tell he was trying to find a reason to stay even more now after Marianne’s explanation.

“Sylvain!” Ingrid scolded.

Felix was the one who took the initiative to drag the shameless knight out of the tent, muttering insults under his breath towards him as Sylvain struggled under the hold.

\---

Dimitri was led by two guards towards where Claude was waiting for him. He looked around the halls and found them rather barren for a noble’s home, especially one of Claude’s status. The windows held no curtains, stripped from the bars that hung naked. The walls had maybe a frame or two of paintings, but otherwise sparse. No roll of carpet was softening each of his steps.

It was a detail most would miss if you hadn’t lived a similar lifestyle, but when some nobles were desperate they would sell their most prized decorations or treasures to fund their troops.

Claude might be different though. Maybe he had no use for the decorations and found the gold more useful elsewhere. A sign of efficiency, and dedication perhaps.

The guards opened the doors into a dining hall where four figures were currently seated. Claude sat on one end, a minor look of relief on his face when he saw the prince, while on the other end was Seteth, Flayn and Byleth still in chains. Seteth and Flayn looked somewhat relieved as well.

“What’s going on?” Dimitri asked, the guards quickly exiting the room and closing the door behind him. He couldn’t help but glance backwards as an instinct. The prince was on guard and unsure of what to expect, “I thought Hilda had made it clear that I couldn’t join this ‘trial’ of yours too.”

“Well… we’ve had a bit of a dilemma,” Claude said, gesturing towards Byleth.

_ Wait, Byleth? _

Dimitri stepped towards her seat, her back still facing away from him. He spun her seat effortlessly, the wooden legs skidding against the smooth floor, kneeling in front of her. Byleth’s eyes were darkened, her head tilted down as she stared at the chains on her hands. A pang of blood hit his nostrils, a faint line of red peaked through Byleth’s lips. He immediately growled at Claude, the Alliance leader somewhat surprised by the reaction.

“What. _ Happened?” _ Dimitri said, the bubbling of rage rising from his chest.

“Hey! Hey, hey- No one’s at fault here, at least, I think,” Claude said, arms raised. “We were in the middle of our talk when… well.”

“It was unprovoked, Prince Dimitri,” Seteth spoke up, bowing slightly towards him. “When Byleth was speaking she suddenly just… stopped and went silent. Unresponsive.”

“What do you mean it was unprovoked? Her mouth is bleeding, for goddess’ sake!” Dimitri said. He turned to her, “Byleth? It’s okay. Tell me what happened.”

The prince ignored the surprised reactions from the room as he gently pried the professor’s mouth open. No one seemed to notice that this whole time Byleth had been biting through her tongue. He began to look around for a cloth to stop the bleeding until Flayn clumsily reached into her dress pocket and fetched out her handkerchief. Dimitri forgot his manners and took it from her without much of a thought, lifting it to the professor’s lips. Dimitri cursed, the scent of blood was thick as more of her mouth opened.

Flayn hopped off her chair and stood next to the kneeling prince, taking a look for herself. The young lady gasped.

“Professor, why would you…?” Flayn said, reaching forward to inspect it closely. “Undo these binds, I can heal her-”

Byleth blinked, then reached forward and gently pushed Dimitri and Flayn away, shaking her head. She looked exhausted, dark circles beneath her eyes like she had just fought a hard battle. Dimitri felt strange- like the professor was emitting a familiar aura, though it wasn’t warm and inviting like the goddess’ power usual was. This felt more… grey?

Dimitri placed his hands on her shoulders, “It’s alright, we’ll stop looking at your mouth, but please- don’t continue hurting yourself.”

Byleth’s brows furrowed, but her body relaxed slightly and nodded at the prince.

There had to be some reason why Byleth had forced herself to stop speaking, but why?

“Was she the one that requested for me?” Dimitri asked, turning his head slightly in Claude’s direction.

“No, it was your friends there. Said that you two had a way of… communicating without words?” Claude said, unconvinced.

“Well, we’ve had a lot of practice. Forgive me, Claude, but could we suspend this trial of yours for another day?” Dimitri asked, taking another look at her. Her body was shivering slightly, her clothes clammy with sweat.

“But does that mean… you’re still going to lock us away?” Flayn asked, worried.

_ Lock them away? Were they really responsible for a crime he wasn’t aware of? _

Claude pondered for a moment, his hands clasped in front of his mouth. His eyes narrowed towards Seteth and Flayn, Dimitri hearing the faint tapping of his foot on the ground.

“Fine. You're free to wander free on our grounds for now, but I expect your full cooperation under my authority. Understood?”

The two of them nodded gratefully which only fueled Dimitri’s suspicions. Claude summoned the guards to enter, undoing the chains around their wrists before ushering them out. Byleth and Dimitri were asked to stay behind, which agitated the prince.

“Byleth needs to see a heal-”

“I know Dimitri, but I think what your dear professor here is doing more than she looks,” Claude said, standing up and approaching the two of them. The Alliance leader is known for his confidence, but even he was faltering slightly as he approached Dimitri.

“Teach, I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but I hope you have a good reason stalling as you did,” Claude said, reaching into his pocket and placing a key on the table in front of them. “I think the two of you need a moment to yourselves.”

Dimitri scoffed, rolling his eyes, “Like we would believe that. Alone? In your manor? I can-”

_ -faintly hear the two figures breathing behind that painting of yours… _

“-I’m aware of your tricks.”

Claude eyed him for a bit, then a smile appeared on his lips as he faintly chuckled.

“Sharp senses you got, Prince Dimitri.”

Claude stepped towards the door, the handle creaking as he let himself out. Dimitri didn’t move a muscle until he heard it shut again and Claude’s footsteps slowly faded into the hallway.

Dimitri waited a little longer, focusing on honing his senses. He turned towards the painting that hung at the side of the room.

“Leave. _ Now.” _

The prince growled in the direction of the two hidden figures, and soon, with nothing else to hide, their footsteps began to sound. They shuffled out of the room, making no other sound until it was truly just him and Byleth alone.

“Byleth my love,” Dimitri said, his hands now reaching towards her cheeks. “Please, can you tell me what’s wrong?”

It clawed at his heart to see her like this. It was so similar to what she had endured just recently, though his lack of understanding was more toil on the prince. Byleth felt so far away even though he held her right in the palms of her hands, her eyes a distant gaze. Had she seen something in those bright-green eyes of hers?

The prince reached for the key and undid the chains, not minding the loud clatter as it fell to the ground in front of them. He cursed at the sight of her reddened wrists, a familiar pain he loathed and still hated to this day. Dimitri then reached for the handkerchief and tried to clean her lips which were coated with more blood than before.

“I assume you have a good reason for doing something this reckless,” Dimitri said, “Will you stay like this for a while?”

Byleth nodded, then her eyes drifted towards a nearby window. Without the curtains, she could see the faint sway of the trees and the distance swirling ocean. A pause, then Byleth turned back to Dimitri and gave him another affirmative nod. It had more energy this time, more hope.

_ What was she checking for? The wind? _

Dimitri helped Byleth stand from her chair, her legs wobbled as she found her feet, her hand clutching the handkerchief to her mouth. He guided her towards the exit, her weight mostly supported by his body.

“I suppose I will be your voice then? That is until you have what you need,” Dimitri said, giving her arm a reassuring rub. The professor blinked for a moment, her eyes drifting towards the windows again, then nodded. Dimitri smiled, “So be it. I trust you.”

Byleth smiled back weakly, humming towards him.

_ I trust you too. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're back to muteleth everyone, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter :)


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